IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,030,738
Granted Patent B2
US 12,030,738 · App. 17/563,733 · Granted Jul 9, 2024

Image forming apparatus

Inventors: Yuya Tatematsu (Nagoya, JP); Masatomo Yamaguchi (Inazawa, JP); Satoshi Miyase (Nagoya, JP); Kengo Noda (Inazawa, JP); Gakuro Kanazawa (Toyokawa, JP); Nao Morimoto (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
B65H3/0684B65H1/08B65H16/10B65H35/008B65H2404/121B65H2405/353B65H2801/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,030,738
App. No.
17/563,733
Granted
Jul 9, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; a feed tray insertable into and removable from the housing and accommodating a sheet-shaped medium; a feed roller feeding the sheet-shaped medium; an image forming device; and a movement mechanism. The feed tray includes: a first accommodation portion accommodating a roll body, a first sheet-shaped medium being rolled in a roll shape as the roll body; and a second accommodation portion accommodating a second sheet-shaped medium which is shorter than the first sheet-shaped medium. The movement mechanism moves to a first position where the feed roller contacts the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from the roll body accommodated in the first accommodation portion and a second position where the feed roller contacts the second sheet-shaped medium accommodated in the second accommodation portion.

Claims (92)

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a feed tray insertable into and drawable from the housing, the feed tray being configured to accommodate a sheet-shaped medium;

a feed roller configured to feed the sheet-shaped medium from the feed tray toward a conveyance path;

an image forming device configured to form an image on the sheet-shaped medium in the conveyance path; and

a movement mechanism configured to move to a first position and a second position,

in a case the movement mechanism is in the first position, the feed roller configured to contact a first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from a roll body accommodated in the feed tray to feed the first sheet-shaped medium, and

in a case the movement mechanism is in the second position, the feed roller configured to contact a second sheet-shaped medium, the feed tray configured to accommodate a plurality of second sheet-shaped media in a stacked state,

wherein the feed roller is disposed at an upstream side of a cut mechanism in a conveyance direction.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the feed roller is configured to feed the first sheet-shaped medium and the second sheet-shaped medium along a common conveyance path.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the feed tray comprises:

a first accommodation portion configured to accommodate the roll body; and

a second accommodation portion configured to accommodate the plurality of second sheet-shaped media.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the movement mechanism further comprises:

a swing arm configured to rotatably support the feed roller; and

a swing shaft configured to support the swing arm to be swingable,

wherein the swing shaft is supported by the housing,

wherein the second accommodation portion has a mark indicating a maximum height position in a case the maximum number of the second sheet-shaped media is accommodated, and

wherein the swing arm is configured to move to a retraction position when the feed tray is inserted into and removed from the housing, the retraction position being above the mark.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the movement mechanism further comprises:

a swing arm configured to rotatably support the feed roller; and

a swing shaft configured to support the swing arm to be swingable,

wherein the swing shaft is supported by the housing,

wherein the housing comprises a plate-shaped member extending in a conveyance direction along the conveyance path of the first sheet-shaped medium, the plate-shaped member being disposed at a position higher than a maximum height position in a case the maximum number of the second sheet-shaped media is accommodated in the second accommodation portion, and

wherein the swing arm is configured to move to a retraction position when the feed tray is inserted into and removed from the housing, the retraction position being above the plate-shaped member.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 ,

wherein the housing comprises a plate-shaped member extending in a conveyance direction along the conveyance path of the first sheet-shaped medium, the plate-shaped member being disposed at a position higher than a maximum height position when the maximum number of the second sheet-shaped media is accommodated in the second accommodation portion, and

wherein the feed roller is configured to move to a retraction position when the feed tray is inserted into and removed from the housing, the retraction position being above the plate-shaped member.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the movement mechanism further comprises:

a swing arm configured to rotatably support the feed roller;

a swing shaft configured to support the swing arm to be swingable; and

an urge member configured to urge the swing arm in a direction away from a bottom surface of the second accommodation portion.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein the swing arm has:

a first end portion coupled to the swing shaft; and

a second end portion supporting the feed roller, the second end portion being opposite to the first end portion, and

wherein the urge member is configured to urge the first end portion of the swing arm in the direction away from the bottom surface of the second accommodation portion.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movement mechanism further comprises:

a pressure plate configured to support each sheet-shaped medium from below, the pressure plate being displaceable in the up and down direction; and

a pressure plate drive portion configured to displace the pressure plate in the up and down direction.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first sheet-shaped medium is uncut when fed onto the movement mechanism.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cut mechanism is disposed downstream in a conveyance direction from a tip of the second sheet-shaped medium accommodated in a second accommodation portion.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the feed roller feeds the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from below the roll body.

13. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a feed tray insertable into and drawable from the housing, the feed tray being configured to accommodate a sheet-shaped medium;

a feed roller configured to feed the sheet-shaped medium from the feed tray toward a conveyance path;

an image forming device configured to form an image on the sheet-shaped medium in the conveyance path; and

a movement mechanism configured to move to a first position and a second position,

in a case the movement mechanism is in the first position, the feed roller configured to contact a first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from a roll body accommodated in the feed tray to feed the first sheet-shaped medium, and

in a case the movement mechanism is in the second position, the feed roller configured to contact a second sheet-shaped medium, the feed tray configured to accommodate a plurality of second sheet-shaped media in a stacked state,

wherein the movement mechanism further comprises:

a swing arm configured to rotatably support the feed roller; and

a swing shaft configured to support the swing arm to be swingable.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the swing shaft is disposed below an upper end portion of the feed tray.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising:

a power transmission mechanism mounted on the swing arm, the power transmission mechanism being configured to transmit power from a drive source to the feed roller,

wherein the power transmission mechanism comprises:

a transmission belt; and

a gear train.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the power transmission mechanism further comprises:

a cut mechanism disposed between the transmission belt and the feed roller, the cut mechanism being configured to selectively take a first state and a second state,

in a case the cut mechanism takes the first state, the power being transmitted from the drive source to the feed roller, and

in a case the cut mechanism takes the second state, the power transmission being cut off.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the movement mechanism further comprises:

an urge member configured to urge the swing arm in a direction of weakening a force applied to the sheet-shaped medium from the swing arm along the up and down direction.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 ,

wherein the swing shaft is supported by the housing,

wherein the feed tray has a convex portion extending upward at an upstream end portion in a direction of removing the feed tray from the housing, and

wherein the swing arm is configured to move to a retraction position when the feed tray is inserted into and removed from the housing, the retraction position being above the convex portion.

19. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a feed roller configured to feed a sheet-shaped medium toward a conveyance path;

an image forming device configured to form an image on the sheet-shaped medium in the conveyance path; and

a movement mechanism configured to move to a first position and a second position,

in a case the movement mechanism is in the first position, the feed roller configured to contact a first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from a roll body to feed the first sheet-shaped medium, and

in a case the movement mechanism is in the second position, the feed roller configured to contact a second sheet-shaped medium of a plurality of second sheet-shaped media accommodated in a stacked state,

wherein the feed roller is disposed at an upstream side of a cut mechanism in a conveyance direction.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the first sheet-shaped medium is uncut when fed by the feed roller.

21. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the cut mechanism is disposed downstream in a conveyance direction from a tip of the second sheet-shaped medium accommodated in a second accommodation portion.

22. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the feed roller feeds the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from below the roll body.

23. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a feed roller configured to feed a sheet-shaped medium toward a conveyance path;

an image forming device configured to form an image on the sheet-shaped medium in the conveyance path; and

a movement mechanism configured to move to a first position and a second position,

in a case the movement mechanism is in the first position, the feed roller configured to contact a first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from a roll body to feed the first sheet-shaped medium, and

in a case the movement mechanism is in the second position, the feed roller configured to contact a second sheet-shaped medium of a plurality of second sheet-shaped media accommodated in a stacked state,

wherein the movement mechanism further comprises:

a swing arm configured to rotatably support the feed roller; and

a swing shaft configured to support the swing arm to be swingable.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2021
From: TATEMATSU, YUYA; YAMAGUCHI, MASATOMO; MIYASE, SATOSHI; NODA, KENGO; KANAZAWA, GAKURO; MORIMOTO, NAO
To: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 058492/0471 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-219780 · Dec 29, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220204290A1 · Jun 30, 2022