IP Library Granted Patent US 10,604,363
Granted Patent B2
US 10,604,363 · App. 15/810,843 · Granted Mar 31, 2020

Sheet feeding apparatus

Inventors: Masaaki Takagi (Kashihara, JP); Masanori Yamada (Nara, JP); Daisuke Ogawa (Daito, JP)
Assignee: Funai Electric Co., LTD.
B65H1/28B41J13/0018B65H1/02B65H3/06B65H2402/46B65H2405/115B65H2405/324B65H2405/3312B65H2801/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,604,363
App. No.
15/810,843
Granted
Mar 31, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a casing that comprises a sheet feeding port, a first sheet feed tray in which a first medium is loaded and that is arranged along a sheet feeding port, and a cover that rotates from a position opposite the first sheet feed tray of the casing to a first sheet feed tray side and covers the sheet feeding port. The cover includes a second sheet feed tray that causes a second medium differing in size from the first medium to be capable of being loaded in the sheet feeding port when the cover covers the sheet feeding port.

Claims (56)

1. A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:

a casing that comprises a sheet feeding port;

a first sheet feed tray in which a first medium is loaded and that is arranged along the sheet feeding port; and

a cover that rotates around an axis that extends in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet feed direction in which the first sheet feed tray extends,

wherein the axis is disposed opposite and apart from the first sheet feed tray,

wherein the cover comprises a second sheet feed tray that causes a second medium differing in size from the first medium to be capable of being loaded in the sheet feeding port when the cover covers the sheet feeding port,

wherein the second sheet feed tray comprises a contact part that contacts the first medium when the first medium is present in the first sheet feed tray and contacts the first sheet feed tray when the first medium is not present in the first sheet feed tray and the cover covers the sheet feeding port by the rotation,

wherein the second sheet feed tray comprises a medium insertion part into which the second medium is inserted,

wherein the medium insertion part is located on a side of the contact part opposite to a first sheet feed tray side,

wherein a length of the second sheet feed tray in the width direction is shorter than a length of the axis, and

wherein the contact part is located at an end of the second sheet feed tray opposite and apart from the axis.

2. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the cover causes the sheet feeding port to be opened and closed, and

the second sheet feed tray causes the second medium to be loaded when the first medium has been loaded in the first sheet feed tray and the cover is closed.

3. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second medium is smaller in the width direction than a largest first medium that can be loaded in the first sheet feed tray, and

wherein the width direction orthogonal to the sheet feed direction in which the first sheet feed tray extends.

4. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a face of the contact part contacting the first medium or the first sheet feed tray is formed in a convex curved shape toward the first sheet feed tray side in a side view.

5. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the contact part comprises an idler roller that is rotated when the first medium is fed.

6. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the cover comprises a wall disposed at an end of the second sheet feed tray on a side opposite to the first sheet feed tray side, and

wherein the wall extends in a direction away from the medium insertion part.

7. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the medium insertion part comprises a back support part that extends to a back side of a loaded second medium and supports the second medium from the back side.

8. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the cover comprises a first guide part which is at a right angle to the sheet feed direction, and moves in the width direction in which the first sheet feed tray extends, to adjust the position of the second medium in the width direction, and

wherein the width direction orthogonal to the sheet feed direction in which the first sheet feed tray extends.

9. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the contact part extends from a portion that contacts the first medium or the first sheet feed tray to an upstream side in the sheet feed direction.

10. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the medium insertion part has a through hole that penetrates the cover or a cutout part cut away from the first sheet feed tray side.

11. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 10 ,

wherein a length of the through hole or the cutout part is slightly longer than a length of the second medium in the width direction, and

wherein the width direction orthogonal to the sheet feed direction in which the first sheet feed tray extends.

12. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the medium insertion part is provided at one side of the first sheet feed tray or at a center of the first sheet feed tray in the width direction, and

wherein the width direction orthogonal to the sheet feed direction in which the first sheet feed tray extends.

13. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the second medium is smaller in the width direction than a largest first medium that can be loaded in the first sheet feed tray, and

wherein the width direction orthogonal to the sheet feed direction in which the first sheet feed tray extends.

14. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the contact part comprises an idler roller that is rotated when the first medium is fed.

15. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 4 ,

wherein the cover comprises a wall disposed at an end of the second sheet feed tray on a side opposite to the first sheet feed tray side, and

wherein the wall extends in a direction away from the medium insertion part.

16. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the cover comprises a wall disposed at an end of the second sheet feed tray on a side opposite to the first sheet feed tray side, and

wherein the wall extends in a direction away from the medium insertion part.

17. A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:

a casing that comprises a sheet feeding port;

a first sheet feed tray in which a first medium is loaded and that is arranged along the sheet feeding port; and

a cover that rotates from a position opposite the first sheet feed tray of the casing to a first sheet feed tray side and covers the sheet feeding port,

wherein the cover comprises a second sheet feed tray that causes a second medium differing in size from the first medium to be capable of being loaded in the sheet feeding port when the cover covers the sheet feeding port,

wherein the second sheet feed tray comprises a contact part that contacts the first medium or the first sheet feed tray,

wherein the second sheet feed tray comprises a medium insertion part into which the second medium is inserted,

wherein the medium insertion part is located on a side of the contact part opposite to the first sheet feed tray side,

wherein the first sheet feed tray comprises a second guide part that moves in a width direction and adjusts a position of the first medium in the width direction,

wherein the cover comprises a projection part that projects to the first sheet feed tray side,

wherein the projection part contacts the second guide part when a position of the second guide part overlaps with the second sheet feed tray in the width direction, and

wherein the width direction orthogonal to a sheet feed direction in which the first sheet feed tray extends.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2025
From: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: BRADY WORLDWIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 070724/0545 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 15, 2017
From: TAKAGI, MASAAKI; YAMADA, MASANORI; OGAWA, DAISUKE
To: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 044137/0115 →