Sheet supply device and layer transfer device

Abstract

To provide a sheet feeding device that allows a separation roller to be easily attached and detached.SOLUTION: The sheet supply device includes a body housing formed with an aperture, a sheet tray, a feed roller 111 that can be attached and detached through the aperture, and a separation roller 112 that can be attached and detached through the aperture. The separation roller 112 can be moved between a first position where the separation roller 112 can be in contact with the feed roller 111 and cannot be detached from the body housing and a second position where a first shaft 112A is closer to a first axis X1 than in a case where the separation roller 112 is in the first position and can detach the separation rollers. The separation rollers are prevented from moving from the first position to the second position by the feed rollers inhibiting the movement of the separation rollers in a state where the feed rollers are attached to the body housing. The separation rollers can move from the first position to the second position in a state where the feed rollers are detached from the body housing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device and a layer transfer device comprising a sheet feeding device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a sheet supplying device that supplies a sheet is known (see Patent Document 1). This sheet supplying device includes a feed roller and a separation roller, and when replacing the feed roller and the separation roller, the feed roller and the separation roller are removed with the upper frame open. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-011886 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, it is required that the feeding roller and the separation roller can be attached and detached as easily as possible. If the separation roller can be easily attached and detached, a user can replace the separation roller without being a serviceman with specialized knowledge.

[0005] In view of the above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a sheet feeding device in which the separation roller can be easily attached and detached. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a sheet feeding device that supplies sheets includes a main body housing having an opening, a sheet tray on which sheets are placed, a feed roller, and a separation roller. The feed roller is rotatable about a first shaft extending in the axial direction. The feed roller is disposed at a position facing the opening. The feed roller is configured to feed a sheet placed on the sheet tray. The feed roller is detachable from the main body housing through the opening. The separation roller has a first shaft and a first roller portion located on the outer circumferential surface of the first shaft. The separation roller is provided at a position facing the feed roller. The separation roller is configured to sandwich the sheet between the separation roller and the feed roller and separate the sheets placed on the sheet tray one by one. The separation roller is detachable from the main body housing through an opening. The separation roller is movable between a first position in which it can come into contact with the feed roller and in which the separation roller cannot be removed from the main housing, and a second position in which the first shaft is closer to the first axis than when the separation roller is in the first position and in which the separation roller can be attached and detached. When the feed roller is attached to the main body housing, the separation roller cannot move from the first position to the second position because the movement of the separation roller is blocked by the feed roller. The separation roller is capable of moving from the first position to the second position when the feed roller is detached from the main body housing.

[0007] With the feed roller removed from the main body housing, the separation roller can be moved from the first position to the second position, and the separation roller moved to the second position can be removed through the same opening as the feed roller, so the separation roller can be easily attached and detached.

[0008] The separation roller may be removable from the second position to the outside of the main body housing through a space in which the feed roller was attached.

[0009] Since the separation roller can be removed from the main body through the space where the feed roller was installed, the separation roller can be easily removed. In addition, since there is no need to provide a separate passage for removing the separation roller, the size of the layer transfer device can be reduced.

[0010] The sheet feeding device may further include a holder that holds the separation roller. The holder may be rotatably held on the main body housing, and the separation roller may be movable between the first position and the second position by the holder rotating.

[0011] Since the separation roller is moved between the first position and the second position by rotating the holder, the separation roller can be easily moved.

[0012] The holder may also have a first groove that supports the first shaft.

[0013] The first groove may have a U-shape.

[0014] Since the first groove has a U-shape, the first shaft is less likely to come off from the first groove.

[0015] The main body housing may also have a locking portion that locks the holder so that the separation roller is located at the first position.

[0016] Moreover, the locking portion may have a projection, and the holder may have a hole into which the projection fits.

[0017] The main body housing may also have a second groove into which the first shaft fits when the separation roller is located at the first position.

[0018] The second groove may have a U-shape.

[0019] The feed roller may have a second shaft and a second roller portion located on an outer circumferential surface of the second shaft and capable of contacting the separation roller. The sheet feeding device may further include a lever member that allows the feed roller to be moved between a hold position where the feed roller is held in the main body housing and a release position where the feed roller can be removed from the main body housing. The lever member may have a bearing that rotatably supports the feed roller, a lever extending from the bearing, and an engagement rib that engages with the main body housing when the lever member is located in the hold position and disengages from the main body housing when the lever member is located in the release position.

[0020] When removing the feed roller, the lever is moved so that the engagement rib moves from the hold position to the release position, making it easy to remove the feed roller.

[0021] The main body housing may also have a drive shaft to which the second shaft is detachably coupled and which rotates the second shaft.

[0022] The printer may further include a cover that is movable between a closed position that covers the opening and an open position that opens the opening. The feed roller attached to the main body housing may be located between the opening and the separation roller that is located at the first position.

[0023] The second shaft may also be located below the first shaft.

[0024] Additionally, the feed roller may have a larger diameter than the separation roller.

[0025] The document feeder may further include a cover that is movable between a closed position that covers the opening and an open position that opens the opening, a sensor that detects whether the cover is in the closed position, a motor that drives the feed roller, and a controller. The controller may not drive the motor when it determines based on the detection result of the sensor that the cover is not in the closed position.

[0026] When the control unit determines that the cover is not in the closed position, the control unit does not drive the motor, so that the feed roller can be safely attached and detached.

[0027] The layer transfer device overlays a multilayer film having a plurality of layers on a sheet and transfers at least one layer of the multilayer film onto the sheet. The layer transfer device includes a transfer section having a heating member and a pressure member, and heats the sheet and the multilayer film while sandwiched between the heating member and the pressure member, and any one of the sheet supply devices described above.

[0028] With the feed roller removed from the main body housing, the separation roller can be moved from the first position to the second position, and the separation roller moved to the second position is removed through the same opening as the feed roller, making it easy to remove the separation roller. Effect of the Invention

[0029] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a sheet supplying device and a layer transfer device in which the separation roller can be easily attached and detached. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a layer transfer apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the layer transfer apparatus with the first cover and the second cover open. [Diagram 3] 11 is a rear perspective view of the layer transfer device with the second cover open. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1A is a diagram explaining the function of the feed roller and separation roller when there is no sheet, FIG. 1B is a diagram explaining the function of the feed roller and separation roller when one sheet is placed, and FIG. 1C is a diagram explaining the function of the feed roller and separation roller when multiple sheets are placed. [Figure 6] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating the arrangement of a feed roller, a feed roller cover, a separation roller, and a holder. [Figure 7]These are oblique views (a) and (b) showing the main body housing with the sheet tray removed and the second cover open, with (a) showing the lever member in the hold position and (b) showing the lever member in the release position. [Figure 8] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a feed roller and a feed roller cover are removed from a main body housing. FIG. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a state in which the lever member is located at a hold position, and FIG. 1C is an enlarged view of a lever protrusion and a pair of hooks. [Figure 10] 13A and 13B are perspective views showing a state in which the lever member is located at a release position. [Figure 11] FIG. 13A is a perspective view showing a state in which the separation roller has been moved to a second position, and FIG. 13B is a perspective view showing a state in which the separation roller has been removed from a holder. [Figure 12] FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing the holder in a state where the separation roller is positioned at a first position, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing the holder in a state where the separation roller is positioned at a second position. [Figure 13] 11A to 11C are diagrams showing a procedure for removing the feed roller and the separation roller. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure for removing the feed roller and the separation roller. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Next, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, directions will be described in terms of the directions shown in Fig. 1. That is, the left side of Fig. 1 will be referred to as "front", the right side of Fig. 1 will be referred to as "rear", the front side of the paper in Fig. 1 will be referred to as "right", and the back side of the paper in Fig. 1 will be referred to as "left". Additionally, the top and bottom of Fig. 1 will be referred to as "top and bottom".

[0032] 1, the layer transfer device 1 is a device for overlaying a multilayer film F consisting of multiple layers onto a sheet S and transferring at least one layer of the multilayer film F. The layer transfer device 1 includes a sheet supply device 1A and a transfer unit 50. The sheet supply device 1A includes a housing 2, a sheet tray 3, a sheet conveying unit 10, a film supply unit 30, a control unit 100, and an operation panel PA.

[0033] The housing 2 is made of resin or the like, and includes a main housing 21 and a first cover 22. As shown in Fig. 2, the main housing 21 has a first opening 21A and a second opening 21B. The first opening 21A is formed in the upper part of the main body housing 21. The first opening 21A is an opening for inserting and removing a film cartridge FC, which will be described later, into and from the main body housing 21. The second opening 21B is formed in the rear part of the main body housing 21. The second opening 21B is an example of an opening for attaching and detaching a feed roller 111 and a separation roller 112, which will be described later.

[0034] The first cover 22 is a member for opening and closing the first opening 21A. The rear end of the first cover 22 is rotatably supported by the main body housing 21. The first cover 22 is movable between a closed position (position in FIG. 1) where the first opening 21A is closed and an open position (position in FIG. 2) where the first opening 21A is opened.

[0035] The second cover 23 is a member for opening and closing the second opening 21B (see also FIG. 3). The lower end of the second cover 23 is rotatably supported by the main body housing 21. The second cover 23 is movable between a closed position (position in FIG. 1) for covering the second opening 21B and an open position (position in FIG. 2) for opening the second opening 21B. The second cover 23 is an example of a cover for opening and closing the second opening 21B. The opening and closing sensor SS3 is provided with an opening and closing sensor SS3 capable of detecting whether the second cover 23 is in the closed position.

[0036] The sheet tray 3 is a tray on which sheets S, such as paper and overhead projector films, are placed. The sheet tray 3 is provided upstream of the transfer unit 50 in the conveying direction of the sheet S, that is, at the rear of the housing 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the sheet tray 3 is inserted into the upper part of the main housing 21. The sheet S is placed on the sheet tray 3 with the surface on which the toner image is formed facing downward. The sheet tray 3 is provided with a sheet tray sensor SS0 that detects the sheet S placed on the sheet tray 3. The sheet tray sensor SS0 is turned on when it detects that the sheet S is placed on the sheet tray 3, and is turned off when it does not detect that the sheet S is placed. The sheet tray 3 is detachable from the main housing 21.

[0037] Returning to FIG. 1, the sheet conveying unit 10 includes a sheet supply mechanism 11 and a sheet discharge mechanism 12. The sheet supply mechanism 11 is a mechanism that conveys the sheets S on the sheet tray 3 one by one toward the transfer unit 50. The sheet supply mechanism 11 includes a feed roller 111, a separation roller 112, a first conveying roller 113, and a first driven roller 114.

[0038] The feed roller 111 is provided below the transport path of the sheet S. The feed roller 111 feeds the sheet S placed on the sheet tray 3 toward the transfer unit 50. The feed roller 111 is rotatable about a first axis X1 extending in the left-right direction. In the following description, the direction in which the first axis X1 extends is referred to as the “axial direction.” The feed roller 111 has a larger diameter than the separation roller 112.

[0039] The feed roller 111 is provided at the center in the width direction of the sheet S. The separation roller 112 is also provided at the center in the width direction of the sheet S corresponding to the feed roller 111.

[0040] 4, the feed roller 111 has a second shaft 111A and a second roller portion 111B. The second shaft 111A extends in the axial direction. The second shaft 111A is located below a first shaft 112A (see also FIG. 6). The second shaft 111A has a rotary joint 111J having a flat plate shape at its tip. The second roller portion 111B is located on the outer circumferential surface of the second shaft 111A. The second roller portion 111B is capable of contacting the separation roller 112. The second roller portion 111B is composed of two narrow rollers. The second roller portion 111B is assembled to the second shaft 111A so as not to rotate. In other words, when the second shaft 111A rotates, the second roller portion 111B also rotates.

[0041] The main body housing 21 has a drive shaft DS. The drive shaft DS is formed with a groove (not shown) into which the rotary joint 111J of the second shaft 111A fits. The second shaft 111A is detachably connected to the drive shaft DS. With the rotary joint 111J fitting into the groove, the drive shaft DS is configured so that the second shaft 111A rotates in response to the rotation of the drive shaft DS.

[0042] 5(a) to 5(c), the drive shaft DS is connected to a motor M via a one-way clutch CR1 and a clutch CR2. A feed roller 111 driven by the drive shaft DS is connected to the one-way clutch CR1 so as to rotate only in a direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 5) in which the sheet S is transported toward the transfer unit 50. The feed roller 111 is connected to the clutch CR2 so as to rotate when the clutch CR2 is turned on and not rotate when the clutch CR2 is turned off.

[0043] Returning to FIG. 1, the separation roller 112 is provided above the transport path of the sheet S. The separation roller 112 is provided at a position facing the feed roller 111. The separation roller 112 sandwiches the sheets S placed on the sheet tray 3 between itself and the feed roller 111 and separates the sheets S one by one.

[0044] 4, the separation roller 112 is provided at the center in the width direction of the sheet S corresponding to the feeding roller 111. The separation roller 112 has a first shaft 112A, a first roller portion 112B, a separation roller gear 112C, and a torque limiter 112D.

[0045] The first shaft 112A extends in the axial direction. The first roller portion 112B is located on the outer circumferential surface of the first shaft 112A. The first roller portion 112B can come into contact with the second roller portion 111B of the separation roller 112. The first roller portion 112B is composed of two narrow rollers. The first roller portion 112B is rotatably supported by the first shaft 112A via a bearing. The separation roller gear 112C is a gear that transmits the drive of the motor M to the separation roller 112.

[0046] The main body housing 21 has a bearing member 150, a separation roller driving gear G1, and an idle gear G2. The separation roller driving gear G1 and the idle gear G2 are rotatably held by the bearing member 150. The idle gear G2 meshes with the separation roller gear 112C.

[0047] The bearing member 150 has a spring holding portion 151 and a second groove 152. The spring holding portions 151 are provided at two locations spaced apart in the axial direction and hold the springs SP. As a result, the bearing member 150 is biased downward by the springs SP. The separation roller 112 is pressed against the feed roller 111 by the biasing force of the springs SP. The second groove 152 has a U-shape. The first shaft 112A fits into the second groove 152 when the separation roller 112 is located at a first position, which will be described later. As a result, the first shaft 112A is supported from above by the bearing member 150.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c), the separation roller 112 is connected to the motor M via a torque limiter 112D and a clutch CR2. The separation roller 112 rotates slower than the feed roller 111 by the driving force of the motor M in the direction opposite to the direction in which the sheet S is conveyed toward the transfer unit 50 (counterclockwise in FIG. 5). Since the separation roller 112 is connected to the motor M via the torque limiter 112D, when the separation roller 112 receives a force from the feed roller 111 or the sheet S that exceeds the transmittable torque of the torque limiter 112D, the separation roller 112 is driven to rotate in the opposite direction. Since the separation roller 112 is connected to the clutch CR2, a rotational driving force is input when the clutch CR2 is turned on, and a rotational driving force is not input when the clutch CR2 is turned off.

[0049] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5(a), when no sheet S is placed on the sheet tray 3, the separation roller 112 rotates clockwise in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5B, when only one sheet S is placed on the sheet tray 3, the separation roller 112 rotates clockwise in FIG. 5, following the sheet S conveyed by the rotation of the feed roller 111. As shown in FIG. 5(c), when multiple sheets S are placed on the sheet tray 3, the separation roller 112 does not receive force from the feed roller 111 or the sheets S, so that it rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 5 to push the topmost sheet S upstream in the conveying direction, causing all sheets S except the bottommost sheet S to remain on the sheet tray 3.

[0050] 1, the sheet discharge mechanism 12 is a mechanism that discharges the sheet S that has passed through the transfer unit 50 to the outside of the housing 2. The sheet discharge mechanism 12 includes a second transport roller 121 and a second driven roller 122.

[0051] The second conveying roller 121 and the second driven roller 122 are provided on the first cover 22 (see FIG. 2). The second conveying roller 121 and the second driven roller 122 are located downstream of the transfer unit 50 in the conveying direction. The second conveying roller 121 is driven by a driving source (not shown) to convey the sheet S from the transfer unit 50 to the outside of the housing 2. The second driven roller 122 is disposed opposite the second conveying roller 121 and rotates following the rotation of the second conveying roller 121.

[0052] The film supply unit 30 is a section that supplies the multilayer film F so as to be superimposed on the sheet S conveyed from the sheet supply mechanism 11. The film supply unit 30 includes a film cartridge FC and a drive source such as a motor (not shown).

[0053] 2, the film cartridge FC is detachably attached to the main body housing 21 by passing through a first opening 21A in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of a supply reel 31 (described later). The film cartridge FC includes a supply reel 31 and a take-up reel 35. A multilayer film F is wound around the supply reel 31.

[0054] The multilayer film F is a film composed of multiple layers. More specifically, the multilayer film F has a support layer and a supported layer. The support layer is a tape-like transparent substrate made of a polymeric material, and supports the supported layer. The supported layer has, for example, a release layer, a transfer layer, and an adhesive layer. The release layer is a layer for facilitating peeling of the transfer layer from the support layer, and is disposed between the support layer and the transfer layer. The release layer contains a transparent material, such as a wax-based resin, that is easily peeled from the support layer.

[0055] In this embodiment, the transfer layer is a layer to be transferred to the toner image and includes a foil. The foil is a thin metal such as gold, silver, copper, or aluminum. The transfer layer also includes a coloring material such as gold, silver, or red, and a thermoplastic resin. The transfer layer is disposed between the release layer and the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is a layer for facilitating adhesion of the transfer layer to the toner image. The adhesive layer includes a material that easily adheres to the toner image heated by the transfer unit 50 described later, such as a vinyl chloride resin or an acrylic resin.

[0056] Supply reel 31 is made of resin or the like, and has a supply shaft portion 31A around which multilayer film F is wound. One end of multilayer film F is fixed to supply shaft portion 31A. Multilayer film F is wound around supply reel 31 with the supporting layer on the outside and the supported layer on the inside.

[0057] The take-up reel 35 is made of resin or the like, and has a take-up shaft portion 35A for taking up the multilayer film F. The other end of the multilayer film F is fixed to the take-up shaft portion 35A. The multilayer film F is wound around the take-up reel 35 with the supporting layer on the outside and the supported layer on the inside.

[0058] With the film cartridge FC attached to the layer transfer device 1, the take-up reel 35 is driven to rotate counterclockwise by a drive source (not shown). When the take-up reel 35 rotates, the multilayer film F wound around the supply reel 31 is pulled out, and the pulled-out multilayer film F is taken up by the take-up reel 35. More specifically, during foil transfer, the multilayer film F is fed out by a pressure roller 51 and a heating roller 61 (described later), so that the multilayer film F is pulled out from the supply reel 31. Then, the multilayer film F fed out from the pressure roller 51 and the heating roller 61 is taken up by the take-up reel 35.

[0059] The transfer unit 50 is a section for transferring a transfer layer onto the toner image formed on the sheet S by applying heat and pressure to the sheet S and the multilayer film F in a superposed state. The transfer unit 50 includes a pressure roller 51 as an example of a pressure member, and a heating roller 61 as an example of a pressure member. The transfer unit 50 applies heat and pressure to the sheet S and the multilayer film F in a nip portion formed between the pressure roller 51 and the heating roller 61 while the sheet S and the multilayer film F are sandwiched between them.

[0060] The pressure roller 51 is a roller in which the periphery of a cylindrical core metal is covered with a rubber layer made of silicone rubber. The pressure roller 51 is disposed on the upper side of the multilayer film F and is capable of contacting the back surface of the sheet S (the surface opposite to the surface on which the toner image is formed).

[0061] The pressure roller 51 is disposed in the first cover 22. Both ends of the pressure roller 51 are rotatably supported by the first cover 22. The pressure roller 51 sandwiches the sheet S and the multilayer film F between itself and the heating roller 61, and is driven to rotate by a driving source (not shown), thereby rotating the heating roller 61. The pressure roller 51 conveys the multilayer film F by rotating with the multilayer film F sandwiched between itself and the heating roller 61.

[0062] The heating roller 61 is disposed in the main body housing 21. The heating roller 61 is a rotatable roller in which a heater H is disposed inside a cylindrical metal tube, and heats the multilayer film F and the sheet S. The heating roller 61 is disposed below the multilayer film F and is in contact with the multilayer film F.

[0063] In the layer transfer device 1 configured in this manner, the sheets S placed on the sheet tray 3 with their front surfaces facing downward are transported one by one toward the transfer unit 50 by the sheet supply mechanism 11. The sheets S are overlapped with the multilayer film F supplied from the supply reel 31 on the upstream side of the transfer unit 50 in the transport direction, and are transported to the transfer unit 50 with the toner image on the sheets S and the multilayer film F in contact with each other.

[0064] In the transfer section 50, when the sheet S and the multilayer film F pass through a nip between the pressure roller 51 and the heating roller 61, they are heated and pressed by the heating roller 61 and the pressure roller 51, and the foil is transferred onto the toner image. Downstream of the transfer section 50, the multilayer film F is peeled off from the sheet S.

[0065] The multilayer film F peeled off from the sheet S is taken up by the take-up reel 35. Meanwhile, the sheet S from which the multilayer film F has been peeled off is discharged by the sheet discharge mechanism 12 to the outside of the housing 2 with the surface on which the foil has been transferred facing down.

[0066] The control unit 100 is equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random access Memory), a ROM (Read only Memory), and an input / output circuit, and controls the layer transfer apparatus 1 by performing various arithmetic processing based on programs and data stored in the ROM, etc.

[0067] The operation panel PA is provided on the upper surface of the first cover 22. The operation panel PA is capable of displaying various messages and is also capable of inputting commands from the user.

[0068] The feed roller 111 and the separation roller 112 are detachable through the second opening 21B from the main body housing 21. Here, a configuration for making the feed roller 111 and the separation roller 112 detachable will be described with reference to Figs. 6, the sheet supply mechanism 11 further includes a feed roller cover 130 and a holder 140. The feed roller 111 is attached to the main body housing 21 while being covered from above by the feed roller cover 130. The separation roller 112 is attached to the main body housing 21 while being held by the holder 140.

[0069] The feed roller 111 is located between the second opening 21B and the separation roller 112. That is, the feed roller 111 is located closer to the second opening 21B than the separation roller 112. The feed roller 111 is disposed at a position facing the second opening 21B.

[0070] The feed roller cover 130 covers the feed roller 111 from above (see also FIGS. 7(a) and (b)). The feed roller cover 130 is a plate-shaped member. The feed roller cover 130 has a sheet guide surface 131 and a first hole 132 (see FIG. 8). The sheet guide surface 131 is a surface that can come into contact with the lower surface of the sheet S, and guides the sheet S from the sheet tray 3 toward the transfer unit 50. As shown in FIGS. 7(a) and (b), the first hole 132 is a rectangular hole formed in the center of the sheet guide surface 131, into which a part of the second roller portion 111B of the feed roller 111 fits from below.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 8, the sheet supply mechanism 11 further includes a lever member 115. The lever member 115 is made of resin. The lever member 115 is movable between a hold position shown in FIGS. 9(a) and (b) where the feed roller 111 is held in the main body housing 21 and a release position shown in FIGS. 10(a) and (b) where the feed roller 111 can be removed from the main body housing 21. In other words, when the lever member 115 is located at the hold position, the feed roller 111 cannot be removed from the main body housing 21. When the lever member 115 is located at the release position, the feed roller 111 can be removed from the main body housing 21.

[0072] The lever member 115 is fitted to one end of the second shaft 111A. As shown in Fig. 10(a), the lever member 115 has a bearing C1, a lever C2, a lever protrusion C3, and an engagement rib C4.

[0073] The bearing C1 has a cylindrical shape, and a hole into which the second shaft 111A fits is formed inside. The bearing C1 rotatably supports the feed roller 111 by the second shaft 111A fitting therein.

[0074] The lever C2 has a flat plate shape and extends from the peripheral surface of the bearing C1 in the radial direction of the second shaft 111A. The lever C2 is a part that is gripped by a user.

[0075] The lever protrusion C3 is a protrusion protruding from the back surface of the lever C2. The lever protrusion C3 has an arrowhead shape with a tip thicker than the base. As shown in FIG. 9(c), when the lever member 115 is located at the hold position, the tip of the lever protrusion C3 enters between a pair of hooks 21C formed on the main body housing 21, and the lever C2 is fixed to the main body housing 21. As shown in FIG. 10(a), when the feed roller 111 is located at the release position, the tip of the lever protrusion C3 is located outside the pair of hooks 21C formed on the main body housing 21, and the lever C2 is not fixed.

[0076] The engagement rib C4 extends radially from the circumferential surface of the bearing C1, and has an L-shape with its tip bent in a direction away from the second roller portion 111B.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 9(b), when the lever member 115 is in the hold position, the tip of the engagement rib C4 fits into an L-shaped hole 21D formed in the main body housing 21, and the lever C2 is fixed in the hold position. 10(a) and (b), when the lever member 115 is in the release position, the tip of the engagement rib C4 is located outside the L-shaped hole 21D formed in the main body housing 21, and the lever C2 is not fixed to the hold position and is in the release position. That is, the engagement rib C4 engages with the main body housing 21 when the lever member 115 is in the hold position, and disengages from the main body housing when the lever member 115 is in the release position.

[0078] 8, the holder 140 is a member that holds the separation roller 112 in the main housing 21. As shown in FIG. 12(b), the holder 140 has a base portion 141, a rotating shaft 142, a pair of ribs 143, and a protrusion 144.

[0079] The base portion 141 is formed in a plate shape. The base portion 141 has a first surface 141A, a second surface 141B, and a notch 141K. The first surface 141A is a surface that guides the sheet S. The second surface 141B is a surface opposite to the first surface 141A. A part of the first roller portion 112B fits into the notch 141K.

[0080] The rotating shaft 142 is formed at one end and the other end of the base portion 141 in the axial direction, and extends in the axial direction. The rotating shaft 142 engages with the main housing 21, and serves as a rotation center when the holder 140 rotates. The rotating shaft 142 rotatably holds the holder 140 to the main housing 21. The rotation of the holder 140 enables the separation roller 112 to move between a first position shown in FIG. 8 and a second position shown in FIG. 11(a).

[0081] As shown in Fig. 12(a), the pair of ribs 143 protrude from the second surface 141B. The pair of ribs 143 are formed at one end and the other end of the base portion 141 in the axial direction. The pair of ribs 143 have a first groove 143M on the inside. The first groove 143M has a U-shape. The first groove 143M supports one end and the other end of the first shaft 112A.

[0082] The protrusion 144 protrudes from the second surface 141B. The protrusion 144 is formed at one end and the other end in the axial direction of the base portion 141. The protrusion 144 has a hole 144H formed therein, which extends in the axial direction of the base portion 141.

[0083] The main body housing 21 has a locking portion 21F that locks the holder so that the separation roller 112 is located at the first position. The locking portion 21F locks the holder so that the separation roller is located at the first position. The locking portion 21F is provided at two locations corresponding to the two holes 144H of the holder 140. The locking portion 21F has an arm shape that extends from the main body housing 21 toward the holder 140. A protrusion 21H that protrudes inward in the axial direction is formed at the tip of the locking portion 21F. When the two protrusions 21H respectively enter the holes 144H of the holder 140, the separation roller 112 is locked at the first position.

[0084] The separation roller 112 is movable between a first position and a second position when attached to the holder 140. As shown in Fig. 13(a), when the separation roller 112 is located at the first position, it can come into contact with the feed roller 111. When the feed roller 111 is attached to the main body housing 21, the separation roller 112 cannot move from the first position to the second position because the movement of the separation roller 112 is prevented by the feed roller 111 (see also Figs. 7(a) and (b)).

[0085] 13(b), the separation roller 112 can move from the first position to the second position (see also FIG. 8) when the feed roller 111 is removed from the main housing 21. When the separation roller 112 is located at the second position, the first shaft 112A is located closer to the first axis X1 than when the separation roller 112 is located at the first position.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 13(c), the separation roller 112 is taken out from the second position to the outside of the main body housing 21 through the space where the feed roller 111 was attached (the location of the feed roller 111 indicated by the two-dot chain line).

[0087] Here, the control by the control unit 100 when the feed roller 111 and the separation roller 112 are attached or detached will be described. When attaching or detaching the feed roller 111 and the separation roller 112, the user selects the replacement mode on the operation panel PA. When the control unit 100 determines that the replacement mode has been selected, it does not drive the motor M. After selecting the replacement mode, the user may attach or detach the feed roller 111 and the separation roller 112. Furthermore, even if the replacement mode is not selected, when the second cover 23 is opened, the control unit 100 does not drive the motor M. Specifically, when the control unit 100 determines that the second cover 23 is not in the closed position based on the detection result of the open / close sensor SS3, the control unit 100 does not drive the motor M.

[0088] Next, a procedure for removing the feed roller 111 and the separation roller 112 from the main body housing 21 will be described with reference to FIGS. 13(a), 13(b), and 13(c) and the flowchart of FIG.

[0089] 14, when the feeding roller 111 and the separation roller 112 are to be removed, the roller replacement mode is executed (S1). When the control unit 100 determines that the replacement mode has been selected, it does not drive the motor M.

[0090] After step S1, the user removes the sheet tray 3 inserted into the main body housing 21 by pulling the sheet tray 3 upward and rearward (S2).

[0091] After step S2, the user opens the second cover 23 (S3). When the second cover 23 is opened with the sheet tray 3 removed, the feed roller 111 is exposed as shown in Fig. 7(a). Note that the order of steps S2 and S3 may be reversed.

[0092] After step S3, the user rotates the lever member 115 to move it from the hold position shown in Fig. 7(a) to the release position shown in Fig. 7(b) to release the lock (S4). In more detail, when the user grasps the lever C2 shown in Fig. 9(a) and rotates it upward, the engagement of the engagement rib C4 is released as shown in Fig. 10(a), and the feed roller 111 is unlocked.

[0093] After step S4, the user removes the unlocked feed roller 111 (S5). The rotary joint 111J of the second shaft 111A is engaged with the groove of the drive shaft DS, but by pulling the feed roller 111 to the right, the engagement between the second shaft 111A and the drive shaft DS is released, and the feed roller 111 can be removed.

[0094] After step S5, the user removes (S6) the feed roller cover 130. As shown in Fig. 7(b), the lower end of the feed roller cover 130 is inserted into the main body housing 21, so that it can be removed by pulling it upward.

[0095] After step S6, the user moves the holder 140 from the first position to the second position (S7). At this time, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 12(a), the user moves the locking portion 21F inward and causes the two protrusions 21H to protrude from the holes 144H, thereby releasing the engagement.

[0096] After step S7, the user removes the separation roller 112 from the holder 140 located at the second position (S8).

[0097] Next, a procedure for attaching the feed roller 111 and the separation roller 112 to the main body housing 21 will be described.

[0098] When attaching the feed roller 111 and the separation roller 112 to the main body housing 21, the user first places the holder 140 in a state in which it is positioned downward as shown in Fig. 11(b). Then, the user fits both ends of the first shaft 112A of the separation roller 112 into the first groove 143M shown in Fig. 12(b). When the separation roller 112 is attached to the holder 140, the separation roller 112 is located in the second position.

[0099] Next, the user pushes the holder 140 upward to engage the protrusion 21H of the locking portion 21F with the hole 144H of the holder 140 (see FIG. 12(a)). Then, the separation roller 112 moves from the second position shown in FIG. 11(a) to the first position shown in FIG. 8. When the separation roller 112 is located at the first position, the first shaft 112A enters the second groove 152 of the bearing member 150 and is supported from above by the bearing member 150 (see FIG. 4).

[0100] 8, the user attaches the feed roller cover 130 by inserting it from above into the main body housing 21. Then, the user inserts the rotary joint 111J into the groove of the drive shaft DS. Then, the user aligns the bearing C1 with a predetermined position on the main body housing.

[0101] Next, the user rotates the lever member 115 downward from the release position shown in FIG. 7(b) toward the hold position shown in FIG. 7(a). The lever protrusion C3 enters between the pair of hooks 21C, and the lever C2 is fixed to the main body housing 21. This positions the lever member 115 at the hold position. The lever member 115 is locked to the main body housing 21, so that the feed roller 111 is held by the main body housing 21. Then, the user closes the second cover 23. Furthermore, the user inserts the sheet tray 3 into the main body housing 21 from above to attach it.

[0102] According to the configuration described above, the following effects can be obtained in this embodiment.

[0103] The separation roller 112 of the layer transfer device 1 can be moved from the first position to the second position with the feed roller 111 removed from the main body housing 21. Therefore, the separation roller 112 moved to the second position can be removed through the same second opening 21B as the feed roller 111. As a result, the layer transfer device 1 can easily attach and detach the separation roller 112. If the separation roller 112 can be easily attached and detached, a user can replace the separation roller 112 without being a serviceman with specialized knowledge.

[0104] Moreover, since the separation roller 112 can be removed from the main body housing 21 through the space where the feed roller 111 was attached, it is easy to remove the separation roller 112. Moreover, since there is no need to provide a separate passage for removing the separation roller 112, it is possible to prevent the layer transfer device 1 from becoming large.

[0105] Furthermore, because the separation roller 112 is moved between the first position and the second position by rotating the holder 140, the separation roller 112 can be easily moved.

[0106] Moreover, the holder 140 has a first groove 143M that supports the first shaft 112A of the separation roller 112. Since the first groove 143M has a U-shape, the first shaft 112A is unlikely to come off.

[0107] Furthermore, when the control unit 100 determines that the second cover 23 is not in the closed position, the control unit 100 does not drive the motor M, so that the feed roller 111 can be attached and detached safely.

[0108] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be used in various forms as exemplified below.

[0109] In the above-described embodiment, the sheet supply device is used in a layer transfer device, but the sheet supply device can also be applied to an image forming device, a scanner device, a sheet cutting device, and the like.

[0110] The elements described in the above-mentioned embodiment and modified examples may be implemented in any combination. [Explanation of symbols]

[0111] 1 layer transfer device 3 Sheet Tray 11 Sheet supply mechanism 21 Main unit housing 21A 1st opening 21B 2nd opening 22 First Cover 23 Second Cover 100 Control section 111 Feeding roller 111A 2nd shaft 111B Second roller section 112 Separation roller 112A 1st Shaft 112B First roller section 115 Lever component 130 Feeding roller cover 140 Holder 143M 1st groove 144H hole C2 Lever X1 1st axis

Claims

1. A sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet, a main body housing having an opening; A sheet tray on which sheets are placed; a feed roller that is rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction, that is disposed at a position facing the opening, and that is configured to feed a sheet placed on the sheet tray, the feed roller being detachable from the main body housing through the opening; a separation roller having a first shaft and a first roller portion located on an outer circumferential surface of the first shaft, the separation roller being provided at a position opposite the feed roller, the separation roller being configured to sandwich a sheet between the feed roller and the separation roller to separate sheets placed on the sheet tray one by one, and the separation roller being detachable from the main body housing through the opening; The separation roller is a first position where the separation roller can come into contact with the feed roller and cannot be removed from the main body housing, and a second position where the first shaft is closer to the first axis than when the separation roller is in the first position and the separation roller can be removed; When the feed roller is attached to the main body housing, the feed roller prevents the separation roller from moving from the first position to the second position, When the feed roller is removed from the main body housing, the feed roller is movable from the first position to the second position. A sheet supplying device comprising:

2. 2 . The sheet supplying device according to claim 1 , wherein the separation roller is removable from the second position to the outside of the main body housing through a space in which the feed roller was installed.

3. a holder for holding the separation roller; 2 . The sheet feeding device according to claim 1 , wherein the holder is rotatably held by the main body housing, and the separation roller is movable between the first position and the second position by the holder rotating.

4. 4. The sheet feeding device according to claim 3, wherein the holder has a first groove for supporting the first shaft.

5. The sheet feeding device according to claim 4 , wherein the first groove has a U-shape.

6. 4. The sheet feeding device according to claim 3, wherein the main body housing has a locking portion that locks the holder at the first position so that the separation roller is located at the first position.

7. The locking portion has a protrusion, 7. The sheet supplying device according to claim 6, wherein the holder has a hole into which the protrusion fits.

8. The sheet feeding device according to claim 4 , wherein the main body housing has a second groove into which the first shaft fits when the separation roller is located at the first position.

9. The sheet feeding device of claim 8 , wherein the second groove has a U-shape.

10. the feed roller has a second shaft and a second roller portion located on an outer circumferential surface of the second shaft and capable of contacting the separation roller, the sheet feeding device further includes a lever member that can be moved between a hold position where the feed roller is held in the main body housing and a release position where the feed roller can be removed from the main body housing; The lever member is a bearing that rotatably supports the feed roller; A lever extending from the bearing; 2. The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, further comprising an engagement rib that engages with the main body housing when the lever member is located at the hold position and disengages from the main body housing when the lever member is located at the release position.

11. The sheet feeding device according to claim 10 , wherein the main body housing includes a drive shaft to which the second shaft is detachably connected and which rotates the second shaft.

12. a cover movable between a closed position that covers the opening and an open position that opens the opening; 2 . The sheet supplying device according to claim 1 , wherein the feed roller attached to the main body is positioned between the opening and the separation roller located at the first position.

13. 12. The sheet feeding apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second shaft is positioned below the first shaft.

14. 2. The sheet supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the feed roller has a diameter larger than that of the separation roller.

15. a cover movable between a closed position covering the opening and an open position opening the opening; a sensor capable of detecting whether the cover is in a closed position; A motor that drives the feed roller; A control unit, 2 . The sheet feeding device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit, when determining based on the detection result of the sensor that the cover is not located at the closed position, does not drive the motor.

16. A layer transfer device for overlaying a multilayer film having a plurality of layers on a sheet and transferring at least one layer of the multilayer film onto the sheet, comprising: a transfer unit having a heating member and a pressure member, the transfer unit heating the sheet and the multilayer film in a state in which the sheet and the multilayer film are sandwiched between the heating member and the pressure member; A layer transfer apparatus comprising: a sheet supplying device according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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