Image recording apparatus

• US 20050196216A1
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Tanahashi, Naokazu, Shiohara, Yukio, Nukui, Kosuke, Watanabe, Yusaku
• Granted Patent: US 7,435,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/625
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 1/266 Support fully or partially removable from the handling machine, e.g. cassette, drawer B65H1/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/513 with limited number of active areas
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/521 Reliefs
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/54 Surface including rotary elements, e.g. balls or rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/6111 and shaped for curvilinear transport path
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/1136 inclined, i.e. forming an angle different from 90 with the bottom
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/06 Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/0669 Driving devices therefor
• 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: B65H 3/56 Elements, e.g. scrapers, fingers, needles, brushes, acting on separated article or on edge of the pile B65H3/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 5/38 immovable in operation

Abstract

An image recording apparatus includes an accommodation section, an image recording section, an outer arcuate guide member, an inner arcuate guide member, and a feeding section. Recording media are stacked on the accommodation section. The image recording section forms an image on a recording medium conveyed in a conveyance direction. The outer arcuate guide member connects in a U-shape the accommodation section with the image recording section. The outer arcuate guide member guides the recording medium from a downstream end portion of the accommodation section to an insertion port of the image recording section. The inner arcuate guide member is disposed to be separate from the outer arcuate guide member. A passage is defined between the outer arcuate guide member and the inner arcuate guide member. The passage allows the recording medium to displace in a thickness direction thereof.

Claims

1. An image recording apparatus comprising:

an accommodation section on which sheet-like recording media are stacked;

an image recording section that forms an image on a recording medium conveyed in a conveyance direction, the accommodation section and the image recording section being arranged in an up and down direction;

an outer arcuate guide member that connects in a U-shape the accommodation section with the image recording section, the outer arcuate guide member guiding the recording medium from a downstream end portion of the accommodation section in the conveyance direction to an insertion port of the image recording section;

an inner arcuate guide member that is disposed to be separate from the outer arcuate guide member, a passage being defined between the outer arcuate guide member and the inner arcuate guide member, the passage allowing the recording medium conveyed to displace in a thickness direction of the recording medium; and

a feeding section that separates one of the stacked recording media from the remaining recording media to feed the one of the recording media to the passage.

2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a casing, wherein;

the outer arcuate guide member is attached to the image recording apparatus so that the outer arcuate guide member is detachable from an outside of the casing.

3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the outer arcuate guide member defines a guide groove; and

the casing comprises a guide protrusion that engages with the guide groove to guide the outer arcuate guide member to an attachment position.

4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a conveyance roller disposed at the insertion port of the image recording section, wherein;

the outer arcuate guide member comprises an engagement portion that engages with a rotation shaft of the conveyance roller.

5. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the outer arcuate guide member comprises;

a handle portion used to attach and detach the outer arcuate guide member;

a locking portion that is elastically engageable with an engaged portion provided in the casing in a state where the outer arcuate guide member is attached to an attachment position; and

a release operation portion; and

when the handle portion and the release operation portion are grasped simultaneously, the release operation portion deforms the locking portion to release the engagement between the locking portion and the engaged portion.

6. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an outer side edge of the outer arcuate guide member is substantially flush with a side surface of the casing.

7. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the outer arcuate guide member comprises a surface that faces the inner arcuate guide member; and

a plurality of ribs protrude from the surface of the outer arcuate guide member, the ribs extending in the conveyance direction of the recording medium, the ribs being arranged at predetermined intervals in a width direction of the outer arcuate guide member.

8. The image recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a tip end of one rib is farther from a surface of the inner arcuate guide member than that of another rib, which is closer than the one rib to a center portion of the outer arcuate guide member in a width direction.

9. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the outer arcuate guide member comprises a surface that faces the inner arcuate guide member;

the outer arcuate guide member comprises a resistance reducing portion, which is made of a synthetic resin having smaller friction resistance against the recording medium than that of a synthetic resin forming the other portion of the outer arcuate guide member; and

the resistance reducing portion is disposed at a center portion of the outer arcuate guide member in a width direction.

10. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner arcuate guide member comprises an auxiliary roller that is disposed at an upstream end portion of the inner arcuate guide member in the conveyance direction, the auxiliary roller being rotatable.

11. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the accommodation section comprises a guide plate that guides a leading end of the recording medium upwardly.

12. The image recording apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

a center portion of the guide plate in a width direction more bulges than the other portion of the guide plate; and

the guide plate comprises a separating member at the center portion thereof, the separating member separating recording media, which are fed while being overlapped with each other.

13. The image recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the guide plate comprises auxiliary rollers on both sides of the separating member in the width direction, respectively, the auxiliary roller being rotatable.

14. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outer arcuate guide member comprises a plurality of rollers at a center portion thereof in a width direction.

15. The image recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the rollers are arranged at predetermined intervals in the conveyance direction; and

a diameter of one roller located upstream in the conveyance direction is equal to or larger than that of another roller located downstream in the conveyance direction.

16. The image recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the diameter of each roller gradually increases from both end portions of each roller to a center portion of each roller.

17. The image recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

edges of each roller are rounded; and

a circumferential surface of each roller and end surfaces of each roller intersect with each other at the edges of each roller.

18. The image recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the outer arcuate guide member comprises a receiving portion and a cover member;

the outer arcuate guide member comprises a surface that faces the inner arcuate guide member;

the receiving portion receives therein the rollers and shafts of the rollers with exposing the rollers and the shafts of the rollers toward the surface of the outer arcuate guide member; and

the cover member is detachably attached to the surface of the outer arcuate guide member to expose at least a part of the rollers and cover the shafts of the rollers.

19. The image recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the outer arcuate guide member comprises a convex curved surface that faces the inner arcuate guide member;

the convex curved surface more bulges at the center portion of the outer arcuate guide member than the other portions of the outer arcuate guide member.

20. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the outer arcuate guide member comprises a convex curved surface that faces the inner arcuate guide member;

and

the convex curved surface protrudes at a center portion of the outer arcuate guide member in a width direction and retreats gradually as approaching to both end portions of the outer arcuate guide member in a width direction.

21. The image recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the outer arcuate guide member comprises a surface that faces the inner arcuate guide member;

a plurality of ribs protrude from the surface of the outer arcuate guide member, the ribs extending in the conveyance direction of the recording medium, the ribs being arranged at predetermined intervals in a width direction of the outer arcuate guide member; and

in section, each rib inclines outward in the width direction to define an obtuse angle between the each rib and the width direction.

22. The image recording apparatus according to claim 21, wherein:

the surface of the outer arcuate guide member is a convex curved surface; and

the convex curved surface more bulges at the center portion of the outer arcuate guide member than the other portions of the outer arcuate guide member.

23. The image recording apparatus according to 14, wherein the accommodation section comprises a guide plate that guides a leading end of the recording medium upwardly.

24. The image recording apparatus according to claim 23, wherein:

the center portion of the guide plate in the width direction more bulges than the other portion of the guide plate; and

the guide plate comprises a separating member at the center portion thereof, the separating member separating recording media, which are fed while being overlapped with each other.

25. The image recording apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

a rib is disposed in a groove between a base plate of the accommodation section and a lower end of the guide plate, and is integrated with the lower portion of the guide plate.

26. The image recording apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

the accommodation section comprises on a base plate thereof;

a resistance member at a position facing the feeding section; and

an upward guiding portion disposed on downstream of the resistance member in the conveyance direction and between a lower portion of the guide plate and the resistance member; and

the upward guiding portion has a height, which gradually increases from the resistance member toward the lower end of the guide plate.

27. The image recording apparatus according to claim 23, wherein:

the outer arcuate guide member comprises a surface that faces the inner arcuate guide member; and

an upper end of the guide plate extends to be higher than a lower end of the outer arcuate guide member on a side of the surface of the outer arcuate guide member.

28. The image recording apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a casing; and

a cam member;

wherein;

the casing comprises an engaged portion;

the accommodation section comprises an engagement claw at an end portion of a lower surface thereof an engagement;

when the accommodation section is completely inserted into the casing, the engagement claw of the accommodation section engages with the engaged portion of the casing; and

when the accommodation section is pulled from the casing, the cam member guides the accommodation section upward to release the engagement between the engagement claw and the engaged portion.