CN101377645B - Paper Path Switching Mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a paper path switching mechanism and an image system with the paper path switching mechanism. When the driving shaft drives the disk to rotate along different directions, the notch on the disk can allow the extension arm to extend into and the disk drives the extension arm to switch between a first position and a second position. When the extension arm is switched to different positions, the plurality of switching gates on the switching shaft are also switched to different positions, so that the traveling path of the paper can be switched between a first path and a second path, and the purpose of switching the paper path is achieved.

Description

Paper Path Switching Mechanism

technical field

The invention relates to a path switching mechanism, in particular to a paper path switching mechanism actuated by roller rotation in a duplex printing/scanning business machine.

Background technique

With the trend of diversification and refinement of image or document output, more and more image systems integrate multiple functions such as photocopying, printing, scanning, and faxing. These imaging systems, such as photocopiers, scanners, printers, facsimile machines or multifunctional business machines, are currently equipped with automatic double-sided scanning (input) or printing (output) functions (hereinafter referred to as "automatic double-sided output"). As outlined in "Input Device", it provides a more efficient document processing speed for documents with double-sided input or output requirements without the need for users to manually change sides.

At present, there are many different types of automatic double-sided input and output devices integrated in the imaging system. The working principle of the automatic double-sided input and output device is to pass through the path of paper (or other forms of printing media) in the imaging system. Switching is performed so that the paper can output and output the core components with different surfaces facing the image (such as the print head of the printer, the optical reading head of the scanner, etc.) to perform double-sided output and output functions. Under this principle, the existing technology usually uses the electromechanical integration control method. By setting a photosensor in the paper path, when one end or a specific position of the paper is detected, an electronic signal is sent to the solenoid valve to control the "path". Switch Gate" to switch paths. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,784,680 and U.S. Patent No. 6,513,805 use solenoid valves to control gate (gate) switches, and cooperate with sensors and control logic to switch paper paths, while U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/00534382 The solution is to use two solenoid valves to control the two gate switches, and cooperate with the design of sensors and control logic to switch the paper path. In addition, since the image system usually has multiple sets of closely matched gear sets, motors, and idler wheels to form the paper feeding stroke, the moving stroke of the image input and output core components, the paper output stroke, and the paper path switching stroke, there are some other phenomena. There are technologies that use the combined design of multiple sets of mechanisms to achieve the purpose of paper path switching. For example, US Patent No. 6,307,614 must use two sets of different gates and idler wheels to drive the path switching.

However, for the existing electromechanical control paper path switching mechanism, additional electronic components (such as solenoid valves, sensors and corresponding logic control units) and more than one set of control gates must be added, which increases the cost of the design And complexity, and compared with mechanical components, electronic components are highly sensitive components, which are prone to maintenance problems. In addition, for the existing paper path switching mechanism through gears, gates, and idlers, multiple sets of mechanisms also have the problem of increased design cost and complexity, and more mechanical components also mean that the imaging system is in the process of operation. High operating noise will be generated.

Contents of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a paper path switching mechanism to solve the above problems.

The object of the present invention is achieved by providing a paper path switching mechanism for switching the traveling path of an image medium from a first path to a second path in an image system. The paper path switching mechanism includes a driving shaft and a switching shaft. The drive shaft has a disc, which is arranged on one side of the drive shaft in a manner that can rotate with the drive shaft, and the disc has a gap. The switching shaft can be selectively rotated to a first position or a second position, and the switching shaft includes an extension arm and an exchange gate. The extension arm extends on one side of the switching shaft, and one end of the extension arm rests on the periphery of the disk. When the disk rotates with the drive shaft, the extension arm can extend into the notch, and the notch is used to drive the extension The arm rotates the switch shaft from the first position to the second position. The swap gate radially extends from the switch shaft, and when the switch shaft selectively rotates to the first position or the second position, the swap gate can be selectively located on the first path or the second path .

The invention further provides an image system with a paper path switching mechanism, which has a first path, a second path and a third path. The imaging system includes a paper feeding roller set, a first sensor and a paper path switching mechanism. The paper feeding roller set is used to drive an image medium to advance on the first path, and the first sensor is arranged on the second path to detect one end of the image medium. The paper path switching mechanism includes a driving shaft and a switching shaft. The drive shaft can rotate along a first direction or a second direction, and the drive shaft has a disc, which is arranged on one side of the drive shaft in a manner that can rotate with the drive shaft, and the disc has a notch . The switching shaft can be selectively rotated to a first position or a second position, and the switching shaft includes an extension arm and an exchange gate. The extension arm extends on one side of the switching shaft, and one end of the extension arm abuts against the periphery of the disk. When the disk rotates with the drive shaft, the extension arm can extend into the first notch. The swap gate radially extends from the switch shaft, and when the switch shaft is selectively rotated to the first position or the second position, the swap gate can be selectively located on the second path or the third path . When the drive shaft rotates along the first direction, the first notch is used to drive the extension arm to rotate the switching shaft from the second position to the first position, and the image medium enters the second position from the first path. path; when the drive shaft rotates along the second direction, the first notch is used to drive the extension arm to rotate the switch shaft from the first position to the second position, and the image medium enters the first path from the first path third path.

Description of drawings

1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the paper path switching mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are schematic diagrams of the extension arm and the switch shaft in two different positions relative to the disc of the present invention;

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are schematic diagrams of paper traveling in different paths when the paper path switching mechanism is in different positions;

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the action of the paper path switching mechanism switching from a first position to a second position;

7 is a schematic diagram of the action of the paper path switching mechanism switching from a second position back to a first position;

8 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the paper path switching mechanism;

9 is a schematic diagram of a third embodiment of the paper path switching mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of another viewing angle of the third embodiment of Fig. 9;

11 is a schematic diagram of a fourth embodiment of the paper path switching mechanism;

12 is a schematic diagram of a fifth embodiment of the paper path switching mechanism;

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of the path of the image system with the paper path switching mechanism on the first side of the paper output/input;

14 is a schematic diagram of the path of the image system for outputting/inputting the second side of the paper;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a path for sorting and exiting paper by the imaging system.

Description of main component symbols

1, 2, 3, R1, R2, R3 path 10, 210 drive shaft

20,220 Disc 22,222 Gap

30 Switch axis 40, 240 Extension arm

50, 250 Exchange gate 52 First side

54 Second Side 60 Reply Element

65 Shrapnel 100, 200 Paper Path Switching Mechanism

260 Blocking element 270 Speed change gear

300 Imaging System 310 Paper Feed Roller

320 Image I/O Core Components 330 First Sensor

340 Second sensor CW, CCW, F direction

L1, L2 Distance

Detailed ways

Please refer to FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a paper path switching mechanism 100 using a disk with a gap to switch paper paths according to the present invention. The paper path switching mechanism 100 can be installed in an image system such as a photocopier, scanner, printer, facsimile machine or multifunctional business machine (multifunctional business machine). A face-changing action. The paper path switching mechanism 100 includes a driving shaft 10 and a switching shaft 30 . The drive shaft 10 is driven by a power source (such as a motor) in the imaging system in conjunction with a gear set. In an embodiment of the present invention, the drive shaft 10 can be driven in a first direction (such as the clockwise CW direction in FIG. 1 ) or Rotation in a second direction (CCW direction in FIG. 1). There is a disc 20 on one side of the drive shaft 10 , and the disc 20 can rotate along with the drive shaft 10 along the first direction or the second direction. The switching shaft 30 is used as a switching of the paper path, on the switching shaft 30 there are one or more switching gates 50, extending radially on the switching shaft 30, on the side with the disc 20 relative to the drive shaft 10 The switching shaft 30 has an extension arm 40, which is reliably placed on the periphery of the disk 20, and a return element (spring) 60 is connected to the extension arm 40 and the housing of the imaging system (not shown in the figure) on the extension arm 40 .

Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3. 2 and 3 are schematic views of the extension arm 40 of the paper path switching mechanism 100 and the switching gate 50 on the switching shaft 30 at two different positions relative to the disc 20 . The exchange gate 50 includes a first surface 52 and a second surface 54. Please refer to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 together. FIG. 4 and FIG. Schematic diagram, wherein Fig. 4 corresponds to a first position of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 corresponds to a second position of Fig. 3, and the switching shaft 30 (together with the extension arm 40 and the exchange gate 50 thereon) can be selectively rotated to this In the first position or the second position, when the extension arm 40 and the switching shaft 30 are in the first position as shown in FIG. Move from path 1 to path 2. When the extension arm 40 and the switch shaft 30 are in the second position as shown in FIG.

The paper path switching mechanism 100 of the present invention drives the extension arm 40 and the switching shaft 30 to rotate through a notch 22 on the disc 20, so that the switching gate 50 is switched to the first position or the second position, and the above-mentioned paper is produced. The action of switching the path of travel. Please refer to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the paper path switching mechanism 100 switching from the first position to the second position when the paper path switching mechanism 100 rotates in the first direction (CCW direction) shown in FIG. 1. , wherein the extension arm 40 abuts against the periphery of the disk 20 through the action of the restoring element 60 . It can be seen from top to bottom that when the disk 20 rotates in the first direction until the notch 22 is rotated to the position of the extension arm 40, the disk 20 continues to rotate in the first direction so that the notch 22 can allow the extension arm 40 to extend in, so The extension arm 40 can be driven to rotate, and finally the extension arm 40 is driven to the second lowest position. At this time, the paper travel path is switched from path 1 to path 2 in FIG. 4 to path 1 to path 3 in FIG. 5 . Similarly, when the paper path switching mechanism 100 rotates in the second direction (CW direction) shown in FIG. 1 , as shown in the continuous movement of FIG. Switch back to the first position, no more details here. Therefore, through the design of the notch 22 of the disk 20, the paper path switching mechanism 100 of the present invention can use a simple mechanism design to achieve the function of driving the switching shaft 30 to switch to different positions, and at the same time switch the switching gate 50 on the switching shaft 30 selectively. located on different paths.

Please refer to FIG. 8 , which is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the paper path switching mechanism. Since the image system generally uses the number of pages that can be output/input per minute as one of the performance indicators, in order to improve the speed of paper switching (cooperate with other path travel in the image system), the disk 220 of the second embodiment is provided with More than one notch 222, compared with the first embodiment, the extension arm 240 of the second embodiment can enter the notch 222 when the disk 220 only rotates a distance of L1 circumference, so as to achieve the purpose of switching to different positions , to speed up the switching speed of the switching gate 250 at different positions.

In addition to increasing the number of notches 222 to speed up the switching speed of the exchange gate 250, the present invention can also achieve the purpose of speeding up the switching path by arranging a speed change gear on the drive shaft. Please refer to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a third embodiment of the paper path switching mechanism 200, which additionally sets a speed change gear 270 on the drive shaft 210 of the second embodiment so that the drive shaft 210 can be compared to the first embodiment. example or the second embodiment rotates at a faster speed (if there are special design considerations, it may also rotate at a slower speed), FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of another perspective of the third embodiment in FIG. 9 .

In addition, in the above-mentioned first embodiment, since the extension arm 40 usually needs to be placed on the periphery of the disc 20, the notch 22 can normally drive the extension arm 40 to switch to different positions, so the first embodiment adopts a return element such as a spring 60 to provide a pulling force on the extension arm 40 toward the disk 20 , so that the extension arm 40 can maintain a state of leaning against the periphery of the disk 20 . And in a fourth embodiment of Fig. 11, then replace the spring in the first embodiment with an elastic shrapnel 65, when the extension arm 40 is in the second position of Fig. 11, the shrapnel 65 is driven by the extension arm 40 to generate Therefore, there is a restoring force in the F direction. The restoring force in the F direction can ensure that the extension arm 40 maintains the state of leaning against the periphery of the disc 20 .

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In addition to using the restoring element as in the first embodiment or the fourth embodiment, a blocking element 260 may also be provided in the imaging system (not shown) to maintain the aforementioned state of maintaining the extension arm 240 against the periphery of the disk 220 .

Please refer to Figure 13 to Figure 15. It is a schematic diagram of an image system 300 with a paper path switching mechanism on paper according to the present invention. The image system 300 includes a paper feed roller set 310, which is usually used to drive the paper to advance during the paper feed stroke of the image system 300 (here the travel path is path 1), and the image input and output core component 320 is arranged in the path 1. It can be a printing head of a printer or an optical reading head of a scanner, and the paper can be scanned or printed when the paper passes through the path 1 . The imaging system 300 has the aforementioned paper path switching mechanism. Here, in order not to confuse the diagram and make it difficult to identify, only the drive shaft 10 and the exchange gate 50 are shown, and the first surface 52 and the second surface of the exchange gate 50 54 is located on path 2 and path 3 when the switch gate 50 is in different positions. The imaging system 300 further includes a path 1, a path 2 and a path 3. There is a first sensor 330 on the path 2, and a second sensor 340 on the path 3. When an end of the paper is detected, , sending a signal to the imaging system 300 to control the driving shaft 10 to switch the direction of rotation.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a path R1 for the image system 300 to output/input the first side of the paper. When the paper enters the path 2 from the path 1 along the path R1, until the first sensor 330 on the path 2 detects the end of the paper, the drive shaft 10 changes the direction of rotation, and the exchange gate 50 is driven by the The first position is switched to the second position in FIG. 5 . Incidentally, here, in order to accelerate the effective switching speed of the exchange gate 50, when using a disc 220 with a plurality of notches 222 as shown in FIG. And the distance L2 between the first sensor 330 and the driving shaft 10 has a relationship of L1<L2. Then in FIG. 14 , the paper passes through the path 1 again along the path R2 (at this time, the paper faces the image input and output core element 320 with its second face, and since the exchange gate 50 has been switched to the second position, the path R2 is changed by the path R2. 1 enters the path 3. At this moment, the paper can directly leave the imaging system 300 by the path 3, and complete a double-sided paper feeding stroke. Yet in the present invention, the function of paper sorting (sorting) can also be performed in addition, and the first paper on the path 3 When the second sensor 340 detects the end of the paper, the drive shaft 10 changes the direction of rotation, and at the same time the exchange gate 50 is driven to switch from the second position in Figure 5 to the first position in Figure 4, and then in Figure 15, the paper Along the path R3, enter path 1 from path 3, and finally leave the imaging system 300 through path 1. When more than one sheet of original paper enters the imaging system 300, it can reorder and maintain the order of the originals when leaving the imaging system 300 through path 3 at the end. order.

In the paper path switching mechanism disclosed in the present invention, a disc with one or more gaps is arranged at one end of the drive shaft in an image system, and the extension arm at the opposite end of the paper path switching shaft rests on the periphery of the disc. When the drive shaft drives the disc to rotate in different directions, the notch on the disc allows the extension arm to extend in and the disc drives the extension arm to switch between a first position and a second position. When the extension arm is switched to different positions, the multiple exchange gates on the switching shaft are also switched to different positions, so that the travel path of the paper can be switched between a first path and a second path to achieve the purpose of paper path switching .

The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and all equivalent changes and modifications made according to the claims of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (14)

1. A paper path switching mechanism, which is used to switch the travel path of the image medium from the first path to the second path in the imaging system, the paper path switching mechanism includes: The drive shaft has a disk, the disk is arranged on one side of the drive shaft in a manner that can rotate with the drive shaft, and the disk has a gap; and A switch shaft, selectively rotatable to a first position or a second position, the switch shaft comprising: An extension arm extends on one side of the switch shaft, and one end of the extension arm rests on the periphery of the disk. When the disk rotates with the drive shaft, the extension arm can extend into the notch, and the notch is used to drive the extension an arm rotates the switch shaft from the first position to the second position; and a switch gate extending radially from the switch shaft, the switch gate can be selectively located in the first path or the second path when the switch shaft is selectively rotated to the first position or the second position superior; The paper path switching mechanism also contains: The restoring element is connected between the casing of the imaging system and the extension arm, and the restoring element provides the extension arm with a pulling force toward the disk, so that the extension arm can maintain a state of leaning against the periphery of the disk. 2. The paper path switching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the switching gate has a first surface and a second surface, and when the switching shaft is at the first position, the first surface is located on the first path, When the switching axis is at the second position, the second surface is on the second path. 3. The paper path switching mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transmission gear linked to the driving shaft for changing the rotation speed of the driving shaft. 4. The paper path switching mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the restoring element is a spring or a shrapnel. 5. A paper path switching mechanism, which is used to switch the travel path of the image medium from the first path to the second path in the imaging system, the paper path switching mechanism includes: The drive shaft has a disk, the disk is arranged on one side of the drive shaft in a manner that can rotate with the drive shaft, and the disk has a gap; and A switch shaft, selectively rotatable to a first position or a second position, the switch shaft comprising: An extension arm extends on one side of the switch shaft, and one end of the extension arm rests on the periphery of the disk. When the disk rotates with the drive shaft, the extension arm can extend into the notch, and the notch is used to drive the extension an arm rotates the switch shaft from the first position to the second position; and a switch gate extending radially from the switch shaft, the switch gate can be selectively located in the first path or the second path when the switch shaft is selectively rotated to the first position or the second position superior; The paper path switching mechanism also includes: The first baffle and the second baffle are arranged on both sides of the periphery of the disk, and are used to resist the extension arm to maintain the switching shaft at the first position or the second position. 6. The paper path switching mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein the switching gate has a first surface and a second surface, and when the switching shaft is at the first position, the first surface is located on the first path, When the switching axis is at the second position, the second surface is on the second path. 7. The paper path switching mechanism as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a speed change gear linked to the drive shaft for changing the rotation speed of the drive shaft. 8. An image system with a paper path switching mechanism, having a first path, a second path, and a third path, comprising: a paper feeding roller set, used to drive the image medium to advance on the first path; The first sensor is arranged on the second path and is used to detect the end of the image medium; and the paper path switching mechanism includes: The drive shaft can rotate in the first direction or the second direction, the drive shaft has a disc, the disc is arranged on one side of the drive shaft in a manner that can rotate with the drive shaft, the disc has a gap; and the switching shaft , can be selectively rotated to the first position or the second position, the switching shaft includes: an extension arm extending on one side of the switch shaft, one end of the extension arm rests on the periphery of the disk, and when the disk rotates with the drive shaft, the extension arm can extend into the first notch; and a swap gate extending radially from the switching shaft, the swap gate can be selectively located in the second path or the third path when the switching shaft is selectively rotated to the first position or the second position superior; The paper path switching mechanism also includes: The restoring element is connected between the casing of the imaging system and the extension arm, and the restoring element provides the extension arm with a pulling force toward the disk, so that the extension arm can maintain a state of being placed on the periphery of the disk; Wherein when the drive shaft rotates along the first direction, the first notch is used to drive the extension arm to rotate the switching shaft from the second position to the first position, and the image medium enters the first position from the first path Two paths; when the drive shaft rotates along the second direction, the first notch is used to drive the extension arm to rotate the switching shaft from the first position to the second position, and the image medium enters from the first path The third path. 9. The imaging system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the switching gate has a first surface and a second surface, and when the switching axis is at the first position, the first surface is located on the second path, and when the When the switching axis is at the second position, the second surface is on the third path. 10. The imaging system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a speed change gear linked to the drive shaft for changing the rotation speed of the drive shaft. 11. The imaging system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the restoring element is a spring or a shrapnel. 12. An image system with a paper path switching mechanism, having a first path, a second path and a third path, comprising: a paper feeding roller set, used to drive the image medium to advance on the first path; a first sensor disposed on the second path for detecting an end of the image medium; and Paper path switching mechanism, which includes: The drive shaft can rotate in the first direction or the second direction, the drive shaft has a disc, the disc is arranged on one side of the drive shaft in a manner that can rotate with the drive shaft, the disc has a gap; and the switching shaft , can be selectively rotated to the first position or the second position, the switching shaft includes: an extension arm extending on one side of the switch shaft, one end of the extension arm rests on the periphery of the disk, and when the disk rotates with the drive shaft, the extension arm can extend into the first notch; and a swap gate extending radially from the switching shaft, the swap gate can be selectively located in the second path or the third path when the switching shaft is selectively rotated to the first position or the second position superior; The paper path switching mechanism also includes: a first baffle and a second baffle, arranged on both sides of the periphery of the disc, are used to resist the extension arm to maintain the switching shaft at the first position or the second position; Wherein when the drive shaft rotates along the first direction, the first notch is used to drive the extension arm to rotate the switching shaft from the second position to the first position, and the image medium enters the first position from the first path Two paths; when the drive shaft rotates along the second direction, the first notch is used to drive the extension arm to rotate the switching shaft from the first position to the second position, and the image medium enters from the first path The third path. 13. The imaging system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the switching gate has a first surface and a second surface, when the switching axis is at the first position, the first surface is located on the second path, and when the When the switching axis is at the second position, the second surface is on the third path. 14. The video system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a speed change gear linked to the drive shaft for changing the rotation speed of the drive shaft.

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