Sheet feeding device

• US 10,254,698 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Yasuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Severson, Jeremy R
• Application Number:
  US15/831,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20180095399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/31 Pivoting support means
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/51 Joints, e.g. riveted or magnetic joints
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2407/20 for manual intervention of operator
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2601/324 Removability or inter-changeability of machine parts, e.g. for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/06 Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/12 Single-function printing machines, typically table-top machines
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/22 and introducing into a pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/0638 Construction of the rollers or like rotary separators B65H3/0615 takes precedence; construction of feed or guide rollers B65H27/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/0684 on moving support, e.g. pivoting, for bringing the roller or like rotary separator into contact with the pile
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/20 involving more than two intermeshing members
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/6529 Transporting G03G15/6555 takes precedence

Abstract

A sheet feeding device includes: a main assembly; a holding unit detachably mountable to the main assembly; a portion-to-be-engaged provided on the main assembly; a rotatable member, provided in the holding unit, for feeding a sheet; and a guiding member for guiding feeding of the sheet. The guiding member is provided in the holding unit and includes an engaging portion engageable with the portion-to-be-engaged. The guiding member is movable between an engaging position where the portion-to-be-engaged and the engaging portion are engaged with each other to guide the sheet and a guiding position where the portion-to-be-engaged and the engaging portion are disengaged from each other to guide demounting and mounting of the holding unit.

Claims

1. A sheet feeding device comprising:

a main assembly;

a holding unit detachably mountable to said main assembly;

a portion-to-be-engaged provided on said main assembly;

a rotatable member, provided in said holding unit, for feeding a sheet;

a roller holder, provided in said holding unit, for holding said rotatable member;

a gripping member, provided on said holding unit, for gripping said holding unit and being movable relative to said roller holder between (1) an engaging position where said gripping member engages with said portion-to-be-engaged and (2) a disengaging position where said gripping member does not engage with said portion-to-be-engaged; and

a feeding guide for guiding feeding of the sheet,

wherein said gripping member is held by said feeding guide in a case in which said holding unit is mounted in said main assembly and said gripping member is in the engaging position.

2. A sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein said gripping member includes an engaging portion engageable with said portion-to-be-engaged, and

wherein said gripping member is movable between the engaging position where said portion-to-be-engaged and the engaging portion are engaged with each other to guide the sheet and the disengaging position where said portion-to-be-engaged and the engaging portion are disengaged from each other to guide demounting and mounting of said holding unit.

3. A sheet feeding device according to claim 2, wherein said gripping member is positioned in a foremost side of said holding unit with respect to a demounting direction of said holding unit in a state in which said gripping member is in the disengaging position.

4. A sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein said rotatable member is connectable with the main assembly, and

wherein when said holding unit is demounted from the main assembly, a connected state between said rotatable member and the main assembly is eliminated after said gripping member is moved from the engaging position to the disengaging position.

5. A sheet feeding device according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting shaft which is supported by the main assembly and which is connected with said holding unit.

6. A sheet feeding device according to claim 5, wherein said rotatable member is a carrying roller, provided coaxially with said connecting shaft, for carrying the sheet.

7. A sheet feeding device according to claim 6, further comprising a driving source for driving said connecting shaft,

wherein said carrying roller is driven by said connecting shaft in a state in which said holding unit is connected with said connecting shaft.

8. A sheet feeding device according to claim 6, further comprising a stacking unit including a stacking member on which the sheet is stacked,

wherein said holding unit includes a feeding roller for feeding the sheet toward said carrying roller and a holder which rotatably supports said carrying roller and said feeding roller and which is supported by said connecting shaft so as to be detachably mountable to said connecting shaft, and

wherein said gripping member is supported by said holder so as to be movable relative to said holder.

9. A sheet feeding device according to claim 1, further comprising an image forming unit for forming an image on the sheet fed by said rotatable member.