Image forming apparatus and feeding device

• US 9,944,480 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2017
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hirano, Yuya, Mizuno, Fumiaki, Hojo, Yuta, Kawarago, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bollinger, David H
• Application Number:
  US15/453,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20170267475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• 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 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/03 indicating an entity which is measured, estimated, evaluated, calculated or determined but which does not constitute an entity which is adjusted or changed by the control process per se
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/04 for distinguishing adjusting from controlling, i.e. manual adjustments
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/11 Length
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/20 Location in space
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/52 Defective operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/50 Timing
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/06 Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/02 using friction forces between articles and separator
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/06 Rollers or like rotary separators B65H3/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/46 Supplementary devices or measures to assist separation or prevent double feed control means comprising detectors responsive to double feed B65H7/12
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/52 Friction retainers acting on under or rear side of article being separated
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/5261 Retainers of the roller type, e.g. rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 7/06 responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed B65H7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 7/12 responsive to double feed or separation
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 7/125 sensing the double feed or separation without contacting the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 7/20 Controlling associated apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an accommodation unit, feeding, conveying, and separating members, and detecting, control, image forming, and regulating units. The conveying member conveys a fed recording material. The separating member forms a nip and separates recording materials. The detecting unit detects that the recording material has been fed to the nip. The feeding member starts feeding an accommodated recording material and, where a recording material is fed to the nip, causes the feeding to be finished. An image is formed on a fed recording material. The regulating unit regulates an end on an upstream side. The control unit measures a period from a recording material feeding to detection that a recording material is fed to the nip. Based on the measured period, information is output indicating that a position of the regulating unit is deviated from a position according to a size of the accommodated recording materials.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an accommodation unit configured to accommodate a recording material;

a feeding member configured to feed a recording material accommodated in the accommodation unit;

a conveying member configured to convey a recording material fed by the feeding member;

a separating member configured to form a nip with the conveying member and separate a plurality of recording materials at the nip;

a detecting unit configured to detect that the plurality of recording materials has been fed to the nip;

a control unit which causes the feeding member to start feeding of a recording material accommodated in the accommodation unit and, in a case where the detecting unit detects that a plurality of recording materials is fed to the nip, causes the feeding member to finish the feeding;

an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording material fed from the accommodation unit; and

a regulating unit configured to regulate an end on an upstream side in a feeding direction of recording materials accommodated in the accommodation unit,

wherein the control unit measures a time period from start of feeding of a recording material performed by the feeding member to detection by the detecting unit of that a plurality of recording materials is fed to the nip and, based on the measured time period, outputs information indicating that a position of the regulating unit is deviated from a position according to a size of the recording materials accommodated in the accommodation unit.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit counts the number of times that the measured time period exceeds a first threshold time, and, in a case where the counted number of times is higher than a predetermined threshold number of times, outputs the information indicating that the position of the regulating unit is deviated, or, in a case where the counted number of times is lower than the predetermined threshold number of times, does not output the information indicating that the position of the regulating unit is deviated.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a recording material detecting unit configured to detect whether a recording material has reached a position on a downstream side in a recording-material feeding direction of the nip,

wherein, in a case where the recording material detecting unit does not detect a recording material during a period after a second threshold time shorter than the first threshold time from start of feeding of a recording material performed by the feeding member, the control unit causes the feeding member to finish the feeding.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in a case where the detecting unit does not detect that a plurality of recording materials is fed to the nip in a period after a third threshold time longer than the first threshold time from start of feeding of a recording material performed by the feeding member, the control unit causes the feeding member to finish the feeding.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first threshold time is set based on a size of recording materials accommodated in the accommodation unit, a number of recording materials fed from the accommodation unit, or an ambient temperature or humidity.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where a plurality of recording materials is to be fed continuously from the accommodation unit and where a leading end of a first recording material to be fed is not fed to the nip, the control unit does not use the time period measured for the first recording material for judging that the position of the regulating unit is deviated.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit configured to display the information indicating that the position of the regulating unit is deviated.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the regulating unit is movable in the feeding direction, and

wherein the information is information indicating that the position of the regulating unit is deviated in a direction opposite against the feeding direction from a position according to the size of the recording materials.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, to finish the feeding operation by the feeding member, the control unit stops rotation of the feeding member or separates the feeding member and a recording material in the accommodation unit.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when one recording material is fed to the nip, the separating member is rotated by the one recording material in a predetermined direction, and, when a plurality of recording materials is fed to the nip, the separating member stops rotating or rotates in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction to feed one recording material of the plurality of recording materials and prevent the remaining recording materials from being fed,

wherein the detecting unit is a rotation detecting unit configured to detect a rotation state of the separating member, and

wherein it is detected that the plurality of recording materials is fed to the nip in a case where the rotation detecting unit detects the a rotation speed in the predetermined direction of the separating member is lower than a predetermined speed and that the separating member stops rotating or rotates in the opposite direction.

11. A feeding device comprising:

an accommodation unit configured to accommodate a recording material;

a feeding member configured to feed a recording material accommodated in the accommodation unit;

a conveying member configured to convey a recording material fed by the feeding member;

a separating member configured to form a nip with the conveying member and separate a plurality of recording materials at the nip;

a detecting unit configured to detect that the plurality of recording materials has been fed to the nip;

a control unit which causes the feeding member to start feeding of a recording material accommodated in the accommodation unit and, in a case where the detecting unit detects that a plurality of recording materials is fed to the nip, causes the feeding member to finish the feeding; and

a regulating unit configured to regulate an end on an upstream side in a feeding direction of recording materials accommodated in the accommodation unit,

wherein the control unit measures a time period from start of feeding of a recording material performed by the feeding member to detection by the detecting unit of that a plurality of recording materials is fed to the nip and, based on the measured time period, outputs information indicating that a position of the regulating unit is deviated from a position according to a size of the recording materials accommodated in the accommodation unit.

12. The feeding device according to claim 11, wherein the control unit counts the number of times that the measured time period exceeds a first threshold time, and, in a case where the counted number of times is higher than a predetermined threshold number of times, outputs the information indicating that the position of the regulating unit is deviated, or, in a case where the counted number of times is lower than the predetermined threshold number of times, does not output the information indicating that the position of the regulating unit is deviated.

13. The feeding device according to claim 11,

wherein the regulating unit is movable in the feeding direction, and

wherein the information is information indicating that the position of the regulating unit is deviated in a direction opposite against the feeding direction from a position according to the size of the recording materials.

14. The feeding device according to claim 11, wherein, to finish the feeding operation by the feeding member, the control unit stops rotation of the feeding member or separates the feeding member and a recording material in the accommodation unit.

15. The feeding device according to claim 11, wherein, when one recording material is fed to the nip, the separating member is rotated by the one recording material in a predetermined direction, and, when a plurality of recording materials is fed to the nip, the separating member stops rotating or rotates in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction to feed one recording material of the plurality of recording materials and prevent the remaining recording materials from being fed,

wherein the detecting unit is a rotation detecting unit configured to detect a rotation state of the separating member, and

wherein it is detected that the plurality of recording materials is fed to the nip in a case where the rotation detecting unit detects the a rotation speed in the predetermined direction of the separating member is lower than a predetermined speed and that the separating member stops rotating or rotates in the opposite direction.