JP2010155668A - Decurl roller device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To carry recording paper that does not require correction of curving deformation, without arranging a carrying passage separate from a carrying passage possessed by a decurl roller device, when the decurl roller device is arranged in the middle of a recording paper carrying passage of an image forming device or a postprocessing device. <P>SOLUTION: This decurl roller device has a hard roller 1 and an elastic roller 2 for sandwiching and carrying recording paper P while correcting the curving deformation, and has an operation tool 3 for movably holding a support part 8 for supporting the axis X of the elastic roller in a position in the same as or higher than that of the axis Y of the hard roller in the distance direction to the hard roller and movably freely operating the support part in the distance direction by rotary operation of a cam member 12 contacting with the support part, The cam member has a pressing cam surface 14 for pressing the elastic roller to the hard roller against its elastic restoring force, a pressing releasing cam surface 15 for releasing pressing to the hard roller, and a clearance forming cam surface 17 forming a clearance 16 between the elastic roller and the hard roller. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  According to the present invention, a pair of rollers that pinch and convey a recording sheet while correcting the curved wrinkles imparted to the recording sheet are elastic by pressing a hard roller having a hard outer peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller. A support portion that is configured by an elastic roller having a deformable outer peripheral surface, and supports the rotation axis of the elastic roller at the same height position as the rotation axis of the hard roller, or a position higher than the rotation axis; An operation tool that is held movably in the perspective direction with respect to the hard roller and that can be operated to move the support portion in the perspective direction by rotating the cam member in contact with the support portion is provided. A pressing cam surface that moves the support portion so that the outer peripheral surface of the roller is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller against the elastic restoring force; and the hard roller on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller. It relates to and decurling roller device and a releasing cam surface pressing moves the support portion so pressing against the peripheral surface is released.

In the decurling roller device, a support portion that supports the rotation shaft core of the elastic roller at the same height as the rotation shaft core of the hard roller or a position higher than the rotation shaft core is operated in a perspective direction with respect to the hard roller by rotating the cam member. The nip amount of the elastic roller with respect to the hard roller is adjusted to increase or decrease according to the strength of the curl of the recording paper so that the curl of the recording paper can be corrected appropriately. .
In the conventional decurling roller device, when the jam occurs, the pressing release cam surface is brought into contact with the support portion so that the pressing of the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller to the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller can be released.
In addition, a pressing cam surface whose radius about the rotation axis of the cam member gradually decreases from the maximum radius is provided, and the nip amount is maximized when the cam surface portion with the maximum radius is in contact with the support portion. The strongest curved wrinkle can be corrected, and as the cam member is rotated from that state, the nip amount is gradually reduced so that a weak curved wrinkle can be corrected (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-302324 A

In the conventional decurling roller device, the pressing surface of the elastic roller is released by contacting the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller with the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller by bringing the pressing release cam surface into contact with the support portion. Even in this state, the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller and the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller are in contact with each other.
In particular, when the support portion that supports the rotational axis of the elastic roller at a position higher than the rotational axis of the hard roller is held movably in the perspective direction with respect to the hard roller, the state where the elastic roller is released Thus, the elastic roller is in heavy contact with the hard roller by its own weight.
Therefore, even if an attempt is made to transport a recording sheet that does not require correction of curled wrinkles between the elastic roller and the hard roller, the leading end side of the recording sheet may abut against the elastic roller and cannot be transported.
For this reason, when the image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a fax machine, or a post-processing apparatus that performs, for example, punching or stapling on recording paper after image formation, is provided in the middle of the recording paper conveyance path. It is necessary to provide a transport path for transporting the recording paper that does not need to correct the image, separately from the transport path of the decurling roller device, which complicates the structure of the image forming apparatus and the post-processing apparatus and increases the size. There are drawbacks.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in the case where a decurling roller device is provided in the middle of a recording paper conveyance path in an image forming apparatus, a post-processing apparatus, or the like, a recording paper that does not need to correct curved wrinkles is provided. An object of the present invention is to enable conveyance without providing a conveyance path different from the conveyance path of the decurling roller device.

The first characteristic configuration of the present invention is that a pair of rollers for sandwiching and conveying the recording paper while correcting the curled wrinkles imparted to the recording paper, a hard roller having a hard outer peripheral surface, and an outer peripheral surface of the hard roller And an elastic roller having an outer peripheral surface that can be elastically deformed by a pressing operation against the elastic roller, and supports the rotational axis of the elastic roller at the same height as the rotational axis of the hard roller or a position higher than that. An operation tool that is supported so as to be movable in a perspective direction with respect to the hard roller, and that can be operated to move the support portion in the perspective direction by a rotation operation of a cam member that contacts the support portion. The member includes a pressing cam surface for moving the support portion so that the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller against its elastic restoring force, and a front surface of the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller. A in which the decurling roller device and a releasing cam surface pressing moves the support portion as the pressing with respect to the outer peripheral surface is released rigid rollers,
The cam member is provided with a gap forming cam surface that moves the support portion so that a gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller and the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller.

[Action and effect]
By rotating the cam member, the gap forming cam surface is brought into contact with a support portion that supports the rotation shaft core of the elastic roller at the same height position as the rotation shaft core of the hard roller, or a position higher than that. A gap can be formed between the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller and the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller.
For this reason, the recording paper which does not need to correct curved wrinkles can be conveyed through a gap formed between the elastic roller and the hard roller.
Therefore, when the decurling roller device is provided in the middle of the recording paper conveyance path in the image forming apparatus or the post-processing apparatus, the recording paper that does not need to correct the curl wrinkles is conveyed separately from the conveyance path of the decurling roller device. It can be transported without providing a path.

  According to a second characteristic configuration of the present invention, the pressing cam surface includes a plurality of cam surface portions having a constant distance from the rotation axis of the cam member adjacent to each other in the rotation circumferential direction, and from the rotation axis. This is in the point that the distances are different in stages.

[Action and effect]
In the conventional decurling roller device, as described above, the pressing cam surface in which the radius around the rotation axis of the cam member gradually decreases from the maximum radius is provided so that the nip amount of the elastic roller with respect to the hard roller can be adjusted. Therefore, the nip amount is likely to change even with a slight rotation of the cam member, and it is difficult to stably maintain the nip amount.
In contrast to the above, a plurality of cam surface portions having a constant distance from the rotation axis of the cam member are arranged adjacent to each other in the rotation circumferential direction, and the distance from the rotation axis is changed stepwise. Even if the cam member rotates slightly, the nip amount should be kept constant until the cam surface part that is in contact with the support part shifts to the adjacent cam surface part. It is easy to maintain the nip amount stably.

  According to a third characteristic configuration of the present invention, a conveyance path having a series of guide surfaces capable of contacting the upper surface side of the recording paper and guiding its conveying posture is a recording paper nipping position between the hard roller and the elastic roller. The support portion is moved so that a gap is formed between the elastic roller and the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller by moving the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller to a position where it is retracted from the guide surface. It is in the point which can be operated freely.

[Action and effect]
When transporting recording paper that does not require correction of curved wrinkles through the gap formed between the elastic roller and the hard roller, the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller is moved to a position where it is retracted from the guide surface. The conveyance posture can be guided by the guide surface while preventing contact with the elastic roller, and paper jams due to the disturbance of the conveyance posture are unlikely to occur.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 show a book provided in the middle of a recording paper conveyance path in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a fax machine, or a post-processing apparatus that performs, for example, punching or stapling on recording paper after image formation. 1 shows a decal roller device according to the invention.

  The decurling roller device includes a pair of upper and lower rollers 1 and 2 that sandwich and convey the recording paper P while correcting the curled wrinkles (curls) applied to the recording paper P, and the correction strength according to the strength of the curled wrinkles. An adjustment operation tool 3 that can be adjusted and a conveyance path 4 that extends before and after the recording paper clamping position by the pair of rollers 1 and 2 are provided.

  The pair of rollers 1 and 2 includes a hard roller 1 formed of metal or a hard synthetic resin having a hard outer peripheral surface, and an outer peripheral surface that can be elastically deformed by a pressing operation from above on the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller 1. It comprises an elastic roller 2 formed of sponge-like foam rubber or the like provided, and is supported so as to be rotatable around rotation axes X and Y parallel to each other.

  The hard roller 1 is a drive roller that rotates in the direction of arrow R, and has an outer diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter of the elastic roller 2 and has a length that extends over substantially the entire width of the transport path 4. A bearing member (not shown) that supports both ends of the rotary support shaft 5 so as to be driven and rotatable is fixed to a side plate or a frame in an image forming apparatus or a post-processing apparatus.

  The elastic roller 2 is a driven roller that is driven to rotate along with the driving rotation of the hard roller 1, and is divided into a plurality of divided elastic rollers 6 in the longitudinal direction, and each of the divided elastic rollers 6 is arranged in the width direction of the conveyance path 4. It is being fixed to the rotation spindle 7 at intervals.

  The rotational axis X of the elastic roller 2 is a pair of bearing members 8 that are support portions that rotatably support both ends of the rotational support shaft 7, and is positioned higher than the rotational axis Y of the hard roller 1, specifically Is supported at a position vertically above the rotational axis Y of the hard roller 1.

  Each of the bearing members 8 has the same specification in which the outer peripheral surface 9 around the rotation axis X is formed on the circumferential surface, and the vertical direction formed on the side plate 10 in the image forming apparatus or the post-processing apparatus. Along the long guide hole 11, it is slidably held in the perspective direction with respect to the hard roller 1, specifically, in the vertical direction above the hard roller 1.

The adjustment operating tool 3 includes a pair of cam members 12 that come into contact with the outer peripheral surfaces 9 of the left and right bearing members 8 around a rotation axis Z parallel to the rotation axes X and Y of the pair of rollers 1 and 2. These bearing members 8 are provided so as to be integrally movable in the perspective direction with respect to the hard roller 1 by forward and reverse rotation operations.
The pair of cam members 12 are fixed at the same phase to a rotation operation support shaft 13 supported on the side plate 10 so as to be freely rotatable.

  Each of the cam members 12 includes a pressing cam surface 14 for moving the bearing member 8 so that the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller 2 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller 1 against its elastic restoring force, and the elastic roller 2. A clearance 16 between the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller 1 and the pressing release cam surface 15 that moves the bearing member 8 so that the pressing of the outer peripheral surface against the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller 1 is released. And a gap forming cam surface 17 for moving the bearing member 8.

  The pressing cam surface 14 has five cam surface portions 14a to 14e having a constant distance from the rotational axis Z of the cam member 12 adjacent to each other in the rotational circumferential direction, and the distance from the rotational axis Z is stepped. They are different from each other.

  That is, between the first cam surface portion 14a having the longest distance from the rotation axis Z and the fifth cam surface portion 14e having the shortest distance from the rotation axis Z, the first cam surface portion 14a is sequentially arranged. In addition, second to fourth cam surface portions 14b to 14d whose distance from the rotation axis Z is shortened in steps of about 0.5 mm are provided.

  FIG. 2A shows a state where the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller 2 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller 1 by the first cam surface portion 14a, and the nip amount d is maximized, and FIG. The state where the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller 2 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller 1 by the fifth cam surface portion 14e and the nip amount d is minimized is shown.

  The gap forming cam surface 17 is in a state where the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller 1 is brought into contact with the pressing release cam surface 15 and the pressing of the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller 2 against the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller 1 is released. 3), as the cam member 12 is further rotated in the direction of the arrow S, the bearing member 8 enters the downward surface side to force the bearing member 8 as shown in FIG. By lifting, a gap 16 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller 1, and the inclined surface is such that the distance from the rotation axis Z becomes shorter toward the upper side in the direction of arrow S. It is formed.

The transport path 4 is formed between the guide plates 18 and 19 by fixing a pair of upper and lower guide plates 18 and 19 that guide the transport posture of the recording paper P to the side plate 10.
The lower guide plate 19 is separately arranged at the front and rear positions sandwiching the hard roller 1, and the upper guide plate 18 has a long hole 20 for projecting the lower part of each divided elastic roller 6 into the conveyance path 4. These are provided separately for each of the six, and are arranged in series before and after the recording paper clamping position by the hard roller 1 and the elastic roller 2.

A downward surface of the upper guide plate 18 is configured as a guide surface 21 that can contact the upper surface side of the recording paper P and guide its conveying posture.
Then, by forcibly lifting the bearing member 8, the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller 2 is moved to a position where it is retracted upward from the guide surface 21, as shown in FIG. The bearing member 8 is provided so as to be freely movable on the gap forming cam surface 17 so that a gap 16 is formed therebetween.
In the state where the gap 16 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller 1, the drive rotation of the hard roller 1 is stopped.

[Other Embodiments]
1. In the decurling roller device according to the present invention, the support portion that supports the rotational axis of the elastic roller at the same height as the rotational axis of the hard roller may be held movably in the perspective direction with respect to the hard roller. .
2. In the decurling roller device according to the present invention, the cam surface for forming the gap may also be used as the cam surface for pressing release.

Perspective view of decal roller device Side view of the main part Side view of the main part

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hard roller 2 Elastic roller 3 Operation tool 4 Conveyance path 8 Support part 12 Cam member 14 Cam surface 14a-14e for pressing Cam surface part 15 Cam surface for pressing release 16 Gap 17 Gap cam surface 21 Guide surface P Recording paper X Rotating shaft core of elastic roller Y Rotating shaft core of hard roller Z Rotating shaft core of cam member

Claims (3)

A pair of rollers that clamp and convey the recording paper while correcting the curved wrinkles imparted to the recording paper, a hard roller having a hard outer peripheral surface, and an outer periphery that is elastically deformable by pressing the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller It consists of an elastic roller with a surface,
A support portion that supports the rotational axis of the elastic roller at the same height as the rotational axis of the hard roller, or a position higher than that, is held movably in the perspective direction with respect to the hard roller,
An operation tool is provided that can freely move the support portion in the perspective direction by rotating the cam member that contacts the support portion.
The cam member includes a pressing cam surface that moves the support portion so that the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller against its elastic restoring force, and an outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller. A decurling roller device comprising a pressing release cam surface that moves the support portion so that pressing against the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller is released;
A decurling roller device in which the cam member is provided with a gap forming cam surface for moving the support portion so that a gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller and the outer peripheral surface of the hard roller.   The pressing cam surface includes a plurality of cam surface portions having a constant distance from the rotation axis of the cam member adjacent to each other in the rotation circumferential direction, and the distance from the rotation axis is changed stepwise. The decurling roller device according to claim 1 provided. A conveyance path including a series of guide surfaces that can contact the upper surface side of the recording paper and guide the conveyance posture thereof is provided across the recording paper clamping position by the hard roller and the elastic roller,
The support portion is movably provided so that a gap is formed between the elastic roller and an outer peripheral surface of the hard roller by moving the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller to a position where it is retracted from the guide surface. The decal roller device according to 1 or 2.

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