JP2010083632A - Sheet carrying device and image recorder having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a carrying failure when sending out a sheet from a sheet holding part by an extremely simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: A paper feeding unit 50 includes an arm member 52 and paper feeding rollers 60A and 60B journaled to its chip. The respective paper feeding rollers are connected with auxiliary rollers 61A and 61B via connecting mechanisms 35 and 36. The connecting mechanisms 35 and 36 connect the respective rollers while having the play of a predetermined rotation angle α between the paper feeding rollers and the auxiliary rollers. When recording paper is fed when the paper feeding rollers rotate, the auxiliary rollers co-rotate, and when the paper feeding rollers slip, the auxiliary rollers stop until the play runs out, and thereafter, rotate when torque is transmitted from the paper feeding rollers. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet conveying apparatus that conveys a sheet held in a sheet holding unit in a first conveying direction, and an image recording apparatus including the sheet conveying apparatus.

  In general, a sheet conveying apparatus is mounted on an image recording apparatus such as a printer. The sheet conveying device is provided with a sheet tray (sheet holding unit) for holding the sheet and a feeding roller for feeding the sheet by rotating in a state of being pressed against the sheet in the sheet tray. The sheets placed on the sheet tray are fed in a predetermined conveyance direction while being separated one by one by a feeding roller.

  As such a sheet conveying apparatus, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a sheet feeding apparatus including two feeding rollers separated along a sheet conveying direction is known. In this sheet feeding apparatus, the second feeding roller on the upstream side in the conveyance direction is driven after a lapse of a predetermined time after the first feeding roller on the downstream side in the conveyance direction is driven (paragraph [Patent Document 1] 0047]).

  Patent Document 2 discloses a paper recycling apparatus that includes two paper feed rollers having different roller surface friction coefficients. The apparatus is configured to start conveyance of a sheet by a paper feed roller having a small friction coefficient, and to convey the sheet by a paper feed roller having a high friction coefficient when the sheet is not detected by a sensor within a predetermined time. ing.

  In Patent Documents 3 and 4, a supply roller that supplies a recording medium from a supply tray to a conveyance path and a conveyance roller that conveys the recording medium that has been conveyed by the supply roller are provided. An image recording apparatus is disclosed. In this image recording apparatus, the supply roller has a certain play with respect to its rotation axis.

JP 2003-146455 A JP-A-6-305609 JP 2007-168997 A JP 2007-168994 A

  By the way, in the sheet conveying apparatus, depending on the pressure contact force of the feeding roller with respect to the sheet, not only the uppermost sheet in contact with the feeding roller but also the lower-level sheets are overlapped and fed together. There is a problem that so-called double feeding occurs. Double feeding tends to occur particularly when a thin sheet such as tracing paper is conveyed. On the other hand, if the pressure contact force against the sheet is weakened, the above-mentioned double feeding is less likely to occur. However, for example, when a relatively thick sheet such as a postcard or glossy paper is fed, a problem that the feeding roller slips on the sheet surface without sufficient conveying force being transmitted from the feeding roller to the sheet. There is a point.

  Each problem caused by the conflicting causes can be solved by providing a plurality of feed rollers and individually controlling the respective feed rollers (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, since a controller (control unit), a sensor, and the like are required as means for individually controlling the feeding rollers, not only the configuration of the sheet conveying apparatus is complicated, but also the manufacturing cost of the apparatus increases. There is a problem.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to prevent a conveyance failure when a sheet is fed from a sheet holding unit with a very simple configuration.

(1) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as a sheet conveying apparatus that conveys a sheet held by a sheet holding unit in a first conveying direction. The sheet conveying apparatus includes an arm member, a first roller, a second roller, and a coupling mechanism. The arm member is rotatably supported on the upper side of the sheet holding portion. The arm member extends obliquely downward from the rotation center toward the first transport direction. The first roller is rotatably supported by the arm member. The first roller rotates in a first rotation direction by receiving a driving force from a driving source in contact with the sheet held by the sheet holding unit, and moves from the sheet holding unit to the first conveyance direction. Send out the sheet. The second roller is supported by the arm member so as to be rotatable in the same direction as the rotation direction of the first roller. The second roller is in contact with the sheet held by the sheet holding unit. The connection mechanism connects the first roller and the second roller in the rotational direction in a state where the second roller has a play of a predetermined rotation angle with respect to the first roller.

  A first roller is rotatably supported by the arm member. When the first roller receives a driving force from a driving source in contact with the upper surface of the sheet held by the sheet holding portion, the first roller rotates in the first rotation direction. Thereby, the rotational force of the first roller is transmitted to the sheet, and the sheet is conveyed in the first conveying direction. When the sheet is conveyed, the second roller in contact with the sheet is rotated by the frictional force received from the sheet.

  For example, when the first roller slips with respect to the sheet during sheet conveyance, the first roller idles and sheet conveyance stops. When the first roller idles by the predetermined rotation angle, there is no play in the connecting mechanism, and the first roller and the second roller are connected. After the connection, both the first roller and the second roller are rotated by receiving the driving force of the driving source. Thereby, the rotational force of each of the first roller and the second roller is given to the sheet. Therefore, since a larger rotational force is applied to the sheet, each roller does not slip with respect to the sheet, and the sheet is reliably conveyed.

  In the present specification, unless otherwise specified, the “direction” is represented by a straight line having opposite directions such as + and −, for example. For example, it is represented by an arrow having one arrow head such as + or-.

(2) The coupling mechanism is configured to transmit a rotational force for conveying the sheet in the first conveying direction to the second roller and a second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction. The posture can be changed between the second connecting posture capable of transmitting the rotational force for conveying the second roller to the second roller. The play of the predetermined rotation angle is set between the first connection posture and the second connection posture.

(3) The sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention further includes a pair of conveying rollers and an elastic member. The conveyance roller pair is provided on the first conveyance direction side with respect to the first roller. This pair of conveying rollers is driven to rotate at a higher rotational speed than the first roller. The elastic member biases the second roller in the first rotation direction with a predetermined elastic force against the first roller.

  The predetermined elastic force is the contact between the second roller and the sheet in a state where the sheet is not conveyed by the conveying roller pair, that is, in a state where the sheet is conveyed only by the first roller and the second roller. It is a force smaller than friction. Therefore, when the sheet is conveyed only by the first roller and the second roller, the second roller is rotated against the elastic force by the frictional force received from the sheet. When the pressure contact force of the conveyance roller pair is set larger than the pressure contact force between the first roller and the sheet, when the sheet starts to be conveyed by the conveyance roller pair, the first roller receives a force in the first conveyance direction from the sheet. And pulled in the first transport direction. This tensile force acts in a direction to separate the arm member from the sheet. When the second roller moves away from the sheet by pulling the arm member in the first conveying direction, or when the contact friction between the second roller and the sheet becomes smaller than the elastic force, the second roller moves from the elastic member. Upon receiving the elastic force, the first roller rotates in the first rotation direction. Thereby, the connection mechanism changes its posture to the second connection posture.

(4) The sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention further includes a sheet guide and drive control means. The sheet guide is provided in the sheet holding portion, and abuts against the end portion of the sheet opposite to the first conveying direction to position the end portion. The drive control means controls the drive of the first motor. The drive control means rotates the first roller at least by the predetermined rotation angle in the second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction before starting the next sheet conveyance.

  As a result, when the first roller is rotated in the second rotation direction, the sheet tends to move in the second conveyance direction opposite to the first conveyance direction. However, the movement is blocked by the sheet guide. In this case, the first roller slips on the sheet surface and idles. On the other hand, since the sheet is not conveyed, the second roller is stopped without rotating. For this reason, when only the first roller rotates, the connecting mechanism changes its posture to the second connecting posture.

(5) It is preferable that the first roller and the second roller are arranged on the same axis.

  Thereby, the mechanism for transmitting the rotational force from the first roller to the second roller can be simplified.

(6) A plurality of the first rollers are provided on the same axis, separated in a direction orthogonal to the first transport direction. In this case, it is preferable that the second roller is coupled to each of the plurality of first rollers via the coupling mechanism.

  With this configuration, the sheet is conveyed by receiving rotational force from the plurality of first rollers. When any one of the plurality of first rollers slips with respect to the sheet, the sheet gradually starts to skew. Thereafter, when the slipped first roller is idled at the predetermined rotation angle, the first roller and the second roller are connected by the connecting mechanism. At this time, since the rotational force of each roller is applied to the sheet, the roller does not slip with respect to the sheet. As a result, further skewing of the sheet is prevented.

(7) The sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention further includes an inclined plate and a separating member. The inclined plate is erected at an end portion of the sheet holding portion on the first conveyance direction side, and is inclined toward the first conveyance direction side. The separating member is provided on the inclined surface of the inclined plate, and ends of the plurality of sheet bundles sent out from the sheet holding portion in the first conveying direction on the first conveying direction side are in contact with the inclined surface. The sheet at the top of the sheet bundle is separated when it comes into contact. In this case, the predetermined rotation angle is set so that the arc of the first roller corresponding to the predetermined rotation angle is longer than the dimension of the inclined plate in the first transport direction.

  In the sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention, so-called double feeding in which a plurality of sheets are fed out may occur. When the sheet bundle that has been multi-fed comes into contact with the inclined surface of the inclined plate at the end of the first conveying direction, the uppermost sheet of the sheet bundle is separated by the separating member. If a double feed occurs when the sheet is conveyed only by the first roller, the sheet is surely separated by the separating member, but if the sheet is conveyed by both the first roller and the second roller, Since the pressure contact force on the sheet increases, the frequency of double feeding increases, and the number of sheets when double feeding is increased. Therefore, there is a possibility that separation by the separation member is not performed. Therefore, as described above, a plurality of the first rollers are provided on the same axis, separated in the direction orthogonal to the first transport direction, and the second rollers are provided on the plurality of first rollers, respectively. In the configuration in which each is connected via the connection mechanism, the predetermined rotation angle is such that the arc of the first roller corresponding to the predetermined rotation angle is longer than the dimension of the inclined plate in the first transport direction. Is set to Therefore, even when any of the first rollers slips, the end of the sheet bundle in the first conveyance direction passes through the separation member before the first roller is connected to the second roller, so that a large rotational force is applied to the sheet. It is ensured that the topmost sheet is separated from the sheet bundle before being added.

(8) The present invention can also be understood as an image recording apparatus including the above-described sheet conveying apparatus and an image recording unit that records an image on a sheet fed from the sheet holding unit by the sheet conveying apparatus.

  According to the present invention, with a very simple configuration, it is possible to prevent conveyance failures such as double feeding, slip, and sheet skewing that occur when a sheet is fed out from the sheet holding unit.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. Note that each embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the embodiment of the present invention can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a multifunction machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of the multifunction machine 1. In FIG. 2, the main body casing 2 and the scanner unit 19 are omitted. 3A and 3B are schematic views showing the configurations of the paper feed tray 20 and the feed unit 50. FIG. 3A is a plan view, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line IIIB-IIIB. Yes. FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the feeding unit 50. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the coupling mechanism 35, and the first coupling portion 35A on the paper feed roller 60A side is shown in detail. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the coupling mechanism 35, in which the second coupling portion 35B on the auxiliary roller 61A side is shown in detail. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the control unit 84 of the multifunction machine 1. 8 and 9 are schematic views for explaining the movement of the coupling mechanism 35 when the recording paper is fed. 8 and 9 are sectional views taken along the cutting line PP in FIG. FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a modification of the coupling mechanism of the present invention.

  In the following description, the vertical direction 7 is defined with reference to the normal use state of the multifunction machine 1 (the state shown in FIG. 1), and the side in which the operation panel 10 is provided is the front side (front). And the left-right direction 9 is defined when the multifunction device 1 is viewed from the front side (front side).

[Schematic configuration of MFP 1]
The multi-function device 1 of this embodiment is a so-called multi-function device having a scanner function, a copy function, a facsimile function, etc. in addition to a printer function. As shown in FIG. 1, the external appearance of the multi-function device 1 is formed by a wide and thin substantially rectangular parallelepiped box-shaped main body casing 2 in which the left-right direction 9 and the front-rear direction 8 are larger than the up-down direction 7. The functions other than the printer function are arbitrary. For example, the image recording apparatus according to the present invention may be implemented as a single-function printer that does not have the scanner unit 19 and does not have a scan function, a copy function, or a facsimile function.

  An operation panel 10 is provided on the front side of the upper surface of the main casing 2. The operation panel 10 includes an operation unit 11 on which various operation buttons for input operations are arranged, and a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display) 12 that displays an image such as a message. In addition, a scanner unit 19 is provided at the rear position of the operation panel 10 as reading means for reading an image from a document. The scanner unit 19 is used for a scanner function, a copy function, and a facsimile function.

  At the lower position in the main casing 2, a paper feed tray 20 (an example of a sheet holding portion of the present invention) and a paper discharge tray 21 are provided in two upper and lower stages. The sheet feed tray 20 can hold a plurality of sheet-like recording sheets (corresponding to sheets of the present invention) in a substantially horizontal state (stacked state). The recording paper is relatively thin such as so-called plain paper or inkjet recording paper, and the friction coefficient of the recording surface is high and thick compared to plain paper, such as glossy paper, compared to plain paper, etc. For example, a thick postcard such as a heavy postcard.

  The paper feed tray 20 and the paper discharge tray 21 can be pulled out horizontally through the opening 13 formed in the front surface of the main casing 2. On the other hand, the paper feed tray 20 can be mounted in the main casing 2 by inserting it horizontally into the main casing 2 from the opening 13. In other words, the paper feed tray 20 and the paper discharge tray 21 are configured to be inserted into and removed from the main casing 2 through the opening 13 formed on the front surface of the main casing 2.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the paper feed tray 20 is formed in a generally dish shape in plan view. A pair of side guides 31 and 32 and a rear guide 17 (an example of a sheet guide according to the present invention) are provided on the bottom surface 25 of the sheet feeding tray 20.

  The side guides 31 and 32 align both ends in the width direction (left-right direction 9) of the recording paper placed on the paper feed tray 20 and regulate (position) the position in the width direction of the paper feed tray 20. is there. The side guides 31 and 32 are provided in the vicinity of the center in the front-rear direction 8 on the bottom surface 25 of the paper feed tray 20. The side guides 31 and 32 are supported on the bottom surface 25 of the paper feed tray 20 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction 9 along a groove (not shown). A recording sheet is placed in an area sandwiched between the side guides 31 and 32. In the present embodiment, recording paper of maximum A4 size (210 × 297 mm) or letter (LTR) size (216 × 279 mm) can be placed, and recording paper of L plate size (127 × 89 mm) can be loaded at the minimum. The size of the paper feed tray 20 and the slide range of the side guides 31 and 32 are set so that they can be placed.

  The pair of side guides 31 and 32 are connected by a known interlocking mechanism. For example, they are connected by an interlocking mechanism using a rack and a pinion. Thus, when any one of the side guides 31 is slid, the other side guide 31 is slid in the opposite direction in conjunction.

  The rear guide 17 aligns the rear end of the recording paper placed on the paper feed tray 20, that is, the end opposite to the feeding direction 43 (corresponding to the first transport direction of the present invention), and the rear end. This restricts (positions) the position of the. The rear guide 17 is provided at the center in the width direction on the bottom surface 25 of the paper feed tray 20. The rear guide 17 engages with a groove 26 formed in the bottom surface 25 of the paper feed tray 20 and extends in the front-rear direction 8, and is supported so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction 8 along the groove 26. The rear guide 17 can be fixed at an arbitrary position within the slide range. In the present embodiment, an engaging claw (not shown) is provided on the facing surface of the rear guide 17 facing the bottom surface 25, and two engaging portions 27 parallel to the groove 26 are provided on the bottom surface 25. Then, the rear guide 17 is fixed in the front-rear direction 8 by engaging the engaging claws with a plurality of teeth provided on the engaging portion 27.

  When the pair of side guides 31 and 32 are slid and come into contact with the end in the width direction of the recording paper in a state where the recording paper is placed on the paper feed tray 20, both ends in the width direction are aligned and the paper is fed. The central position in the width direction of the recording paper placed on the paper tray 20 is positioned at the center in the width direction of the paper feed tray 20. Thus, matching the center in the width direction of the recording paper with the center in the width direction of the paper feed tray 20 is generally called a center register. Further, when the rear guide 17 is slid and comes into contact with the front end of the recording paper, the front end of the recording paper is aligned and the recording paper is squeezed rearward on the bottom surface 26. The front end is positioned.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sheet feeding tray 20 is provided with an inclined plate 22 (an example of the inclined plate of the present invention). The inclined plate 22 is erected on the rear end of the bottom surface 25 and is inclined toward the feeding direction 43 side. The inner surface 24 of the inclined plate 22 serves as a guide surface for guiding the recording sheet to the sheet conveyance path 5 (see FIG. 2). In the center of the inner surface 24 of the inclined plate 22, a plurality of separation teeth 23 (an example of a separation member of the present invention) protruding from the inner surface 24 are arranged in the vertical direction 7. Since the inclined plate 22 and the separation teeth 23 are provided, even if a plurality of recording sheets are fed from the sheet feeding tray 20 as a bundle, the end of the recording sheet is attached to the inclined plate 22. When abutting, the recording sheets are separated by the separation teeth 23 and only the uppermost recording sheet is guided to the upper sheet conveyance path 5.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a metal frame 4 having an open upper surface is provided in the main body casing 2. The frame 4 is provided at a position closer to the rear in the main body casing 2 and above the paper feed tray 20. The frame 4 extends in a direction (left-right direction 9) perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. A feeding unit 50 (an example of a sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention) is disposed at an upper position near the rear side of the sheet feeding tray 20. The feeding unit 50 is for feeding (conveying) recording sheets stored in the sheet feeding tray 20 one by one toward the rear sheet conveying path 5. The feeding unit 50 includes two paper feed rollers 60A and 60B (an example of the first roller of the present invention) that rotate while contacting a recording paper, and two paper feed rollers 60A and 60B that are connected to the two paper feed rollers 60A and 60B, respectively. Auxiliary rollers 61A and 61B (an example of the second roller of the present invention). The configuration of the feeding unit 50 will be described later.

  A sheet conveyance path 5 that connects the paper feed tray 20 and the image recording unit 70 (an example of the image recording unit of the present invention) is formed in the rear part in the main body casing 2. The paper transport path 5 is formed in a curved shape so that the recording paper fed backward from the paper feed tray 20 is U-turned upward and guided forward. Therefore, the recording direction of the recording sheet passing through the sheet conveying path 5 is reversed from the rear to the front.

  An ink jet recording type image recording unit 70 is disposed above the feeding unit 50. A platen 44 is provided so as to face the lower surface of the image recording unit 70. The image recording unit 70 is configured to reciprocate in a direction (left-right direction 9) perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. In the reciprocation process, the image recording unit 70 ejects ink supplied from an ink cartridge (not shown) as a minute ink droplet onto a recording sheet conveyed on the platen 44. Thereby, an image is recorded on the recording paper. The recording paper on which the image is recorded by the image recording unit 70 is discharged onto the upper surface 48 of the paper discharge tray 21. The image recording unit 70 may be a recording method other than the ink jet recording method, such as an electrophotographic method or a thermal recording method.

  A conveyance roller pair 63 is provided on the rear side of the image recording unit 70, and a discharge roller pair 66 is provided on the front side (downstream side in the conveyance direction). The conveyance roller pair 63 includes a conveyance roller 64 that rotates by receiving a rotational driving force from the LF motor 82 (see FIG. 7), and a driven roller (not shown) that is pressed against and driven by the driving roller 64. The recording paper fed from the paper feed tray 20 by the feeding unit 50 is conveyed toward the platen 44 by the conveying roller pair 63. The discharge roller pair 66 includes a discharge roller 67 that rotates by receiving a driving force from the transport roller 64 via a known transmission gear, and a spur (not shown) that is driven by being pressed against the drive roller 64. The pair of discharge rollers 66 conveys the recording sheet on which the image is recorded by the image recording unit 70 toward the front while sandwiching the recording sheet, and discharges it to the upper surface 48 of the discharge tray 21.

  In the present embodiment, when both the transport roller 64 and paper feed rollers 60A and 60B of the feeding unit 50 described later are in contact with the recording paper, the rotation of the SF motor 81 is stopped and the transport roller is stopped. Control is performed so that the recording paper is conveyed by 64 alone. This is to prevent the recording paper from being bent due to a difference in rotational speed between the transport roller 64 and the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B.

  The conveyance roller 64 is provided with a rotary encoder 87 (see FIG. 7). The rotary encoder 87 detects a pattern of an encoder disk (not shown) that rotates together with the transport roller 64 with an optical sensor, and transports it by a control unit 84 (see FIG. 7) described later based on a signal detected by the optical sensor. The rotation of the roller 64 is controlled. In the present embodiment, the rotation of the conveying roller 64 is intermittently driven during image recording. As a result, image recording is performed while the recording sheet is sent with a predetermined line feed width. Further, the conveyance roller 64 is continuously driven before and after image recording. Thereby, quick paper conveyance is realized.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the feeding unit 50 will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the feeding unit 50 includes an arm member 52 (an example of the arm member of the present invention). A support shaft 51 provided on the frame 4 is provided above the sheet feed tray 20. One end of the arm member 52 is pivotally supported by the support shaft 51. As shown in FIG. 2, the arm member 52 extends rearward from the support shaft 51 and obliquely downward toward the vicinity of the center in the width direction of the bottom surface 25 of the paper feed tray 20. Therefore, the arm member 52 can be rotated about the support shaft 51 and can be moved up and down so as to be able to contact and separate from the paper feed tray 20. The arm member 52 is urged to rotate downward by its own weight or an urging force such as a spring. For this reason, the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B and the auxiliary rollers 61A and 61B at the extending end of the arm member 52 are in contact with the upper surface of the recording paper of the paper feed tray 20 with a predetermined pressure contact force. The arm member 52 is configured to retract upward when the paper feed tray 20 is inserted into and removed from the main casing 2.

  As shown in FIG. 4, two paper feed rollers 60 </ b> A and 60 </ b> B are rotatably provided at the extended end of the arm member 52. These paper feed rollers 60A and 60B are coaxially separated in the direction orthogonal to the feed direction 43, that is, in the width direction of the paper feed tray 20 (left-right direction 9). Specifically, a rotation shaft 55 with paper feed rollers 60 </ b> A and 60 </ b> B fixed to both ends is pivotally supported on the extended end of the arm member 52. A transmission gear 78 is fixed to the rotation shaft 55. A driving force for rotating the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B is input to the transmission gear 78 from a drive transmission mechanism 34 described later. In the present embodiment, an auxiliary roller 61A is connected to the paper feed roller 60A, and an auxiliary roller 61B is connected to the paper feed roller 60B. The connection between the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A is realized by the connection mechanism 35 (an example of the connection mechanism of the present invention), and the connection between the paper feed roller 60B and the auxiliary roller 61B is the connection mechanism 36 (the present invention). This is realized by an example of a connecting mechanism of The configuration of the coupling mechanisms 35 and 36 will be described later.

  The feed rollers 60A and 60B and the auxiliary rollers 61A and 61B are formed to have the same diameter and the same width. The roller surfaces of the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B are covered with a rubber member 97 (see FIG. 5B) in order to generate a high frictional force when abutting against the recording paper. Similarly, the auxiliary rollers 61A and 61B are covered with a rubber member 98 (see FIG. 6C) in order to generate a high frictional force when abutting against the recording paper. In the present embodiment, the friction coefficient of the roller surfaces of the auxiliary rollers 61A and 61B is set to be larger than the friction coefficient of the roller surfaces of the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B. This effect will be described later.

  A drive transmission mechanism 34 is provided inside the arm member 52. The drive transmission mechanism 34 is a gear train including a plurality of gears 73, 74, 75, 76, 77. Each gear 73 to 77 is pivotally supported by the arm member 52. The gears 73 to 77 mesh with each other. The gear 76 on the extending end side of the arm member 52 is engaged with a transmission gear 78 fixed to the rotating shaft 55. A gear 73 on the rotation base end side of the arm member 52 is fixed to the support shaft 51.

  A transmission gear 72 is fixed to one end of the support shaft 51. The transmission gear 72 is meshed with a transmission gear 71 directly connected to an SF motor (Sheet Feed Motor) 81. Therefore, when the SF motor 81 is rotated forward or backward, the rotational driving force (rotational torque) is transmitted to the support shaft 51 via the transmission gear 71 and the transmission gear 72. Further, the rotational driving force is transmitted to the paper feed rollers 60 </ b> A and 60 </ b> B through the gears 73 to 77 of the drive transmission mechanism 35, the transmission gear 78, and the rotation shaft 55 in order. As a result, the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B rotate in a predetermined direction. Since a plurality of gears are directly connected from the SF motor 81 to the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B in this way, in this embodiment, when the SF motor 81 is stopped, the stop torque is This acts on the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B.

  In the present embodiment, when the SF motor 81 is rotated forward, the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B are rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 2 (corresponding to the first rotation direction of the present invention), and the recording paper is conveyed. Transport toward 43. Therefore, when the recording paper is fed from the paper feed tray 20, the arm member 52 is biased downward and the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B are pressed against the recording paper on the paper feed tray 20. Thus, the SF motor 81 is rotated forward. As a result, a frictional force is generated between the roller surfaces of the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B and the recording paper, and the uppermost recording paper is sent out to the paper conveyance path 5 side by this frictional force. When the SF motor 81 is reversed, the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B rotate in the clockwise direction (corresponding to the second rotation direction of the present invention) in FIG.

  The support shaft 51 is provided with a rotary encoder 86 (see FIG. 7). The rotary encoder 86 detects the pattern of an encoder disk (not shown) that rotates together with the support shaft 51 with an optical sensor. Based on the signal detected by the optical sensor, the rotation of the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B is controlled by a control unit 84 (see FIG. 7) described later.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the coupling mechanism 35 that couples the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A will be described in detail. Note that the connection mechanism 36 that connects the paper feed roller 60B and the auxiliary roller 61B has the same configuration as the connection mechanism 35, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  The connecting mechanism 35 connects the paper feeding roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A in a state where the auxiliary roller 61A has a play of a predetermined rotation angle with respect to the supply roller 60A. The connecting mechanism 35 is realized by the first connecting portion 35A on the paper feed roller 60A side shown in FIG. 5 and the second connecting portion 35B on the auxiliary roller 61A side shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the first connecting portion 35 </ b> A includes a support shaft 103 that extends in the axial direction from one side surface 101 of the paper feed roller 60 </ b> A, and two projecting pieces 105 provided on the support shaft 103. It is configured. The support shaft 103 is formed integrally with the paper feed roller 60A. Therefore, when the paper feed roller 60A rotates, the support shaft 103 also rotates in the same direction. The support shaft 103 supports the auxiliary roller 61A, and is inserted into the bearing hole 121 (see FIG. 6) of the auxiliary roller 61A. The protruding piece 105 protrudes vertically from the surface of the support shaft 103. Each protruding piece 105 protrudes in an opposing direction so as to be along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the support shaft 103. The protruding piece 105 is immersed in the recess 123 formed in the auxiliary roller 61A, and forms a play between the paper feeding roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A, and a driving force is applied from the paper feeding roller 60A to the auxiliary roller 61A. Play a role to communicate.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the second connecting portion 35B is configured by a bearing hole 121 formed in the central axis of the auxiliary roller 61A and two concave portions 123 formed in one side surface 125 of the auxiliary roller 61A. Yes. The bearing hole 121 is formed in a size that allows the support shaft 103 (see FIG. 5) to be inserted therethrough. Each recess 123 is formed in a fan shape with a central angle θ. The central angle θ of the recess 123 is an element that can be arbitrarily set.

  Since the coupling mechanism 35 is configured in this way, the bearing hole 121 of the auxiliary roller 61A is inserted into the support shaft 103 of the paper feed roller 60A, and the auxiliary roller 61A is pushed in until the protruding piece 105 enters the recess 123. Thus, the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A can be coupled in the rotational direction on the same rotational axis. In other words, the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A are arranged coaxially by the coupling mechanism 35.

  In the connected state, a play of a predetermined rotation angle α (a rotation angle obtained by subtracting an angle β corresponding to the thickness of the protrusion 105 from the center angle θ, see FIG. 5C) between the auxiliary roller 61A and the paper feed roller 60A. Occurs. Specifically, the protruding piece 105 immersed in the recess 123 is fed to the auxiliary roller 61A in a state where it is in contact with the side surface 128 on one side in the rotation direction of the recess 123 (corresponding to the second connection posture of the present invention). When the roller 60A is rotated, there is a range of play until the protruding piece 105 comes into contact with the other side surface 127 (corresponding to the first connecting posture of the present invention). When the SF motor 81 is rotated forward with the protruding piece 105 in contact with the side surface 127, the rotational force of the paper feeding roller 60A is transmitted to the auxiliary roller 61A, and the recording paper is fed in the feeding direction 43 (FIG. 3). (See) can be sent. Further, when the SF motor 81 is rotated in the reverse direction with the protruding piece 105 in contact with the side surface 128, the rotational force of the paper feed roller 60A is transmitted to the auxiliary roller 61A, and the recording paper is opposite to the feeding direction 43. It becomes possible to feed in the direction (corresponding to the second transport direction of the present invention).

  The magnitude of the play described above is determined by the central angle θ. In the present embodiment, the play is set so that the arc of the paper feed roller 60A corresponding to the predetermined rotation angle α is longer than the length L (see FIG. 3) of the inclined plate 22 in the vertical direction 7 described above. Has been. The effect of providing the play in this way will be described later.

  Next, the configuration of the control unit 84 of the multifunction machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The control unit 84 controls the overall operation of the multifunction machine 1, but detailed description of the scanner processing by the scanner unit 19 and the image recording control by the image recording unit 70 is omitted. In the present embodiment, the drive control unit of the present invention is embodied by the control unit 84.

  The control unit 84 is configured as a microcomputer mainly including a CPU 88, ROM 89, RAM 90, and EEPROM 91, and is connected to each unit via a bus 92.

  The ROM 89 stores a program for controlling various operations of the multifunction machine 1. The RAM 90 is used as a storage area or work area for temporarily recording various data used when the CPU 88 executes the program. The EEPROM 91 stores data, settings, flags, etc. that should be retained even after the power is turned off.

  The drive circuit 94 drives the LF motor 82 connected to the conveyance roller 64 and the like, and the SF motor 81 connected to the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B. The drive circuit 94 is provided with drivers for driving the LF motor 82 and the SF motor 81, and the LF motor 82 and the SF motor 81 are independently controlled. The drive circuit 94 receives the phase excitation signal output from the CPU 88 and generates an electrical signal for rotating the LF motor 82 and the SF motor 81. In response to the electrical signal, the LF motor 82 and the SF motor 81 rotate, and the rotational force is transmitted to the transport roller 64 and the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B via a gear, a drive shaft, and the like.

  The bus 92 includes a rotary encoder 87 for detecting the rotation amount of the transport roller 64 and the like driven by the LF motor 82, and a rotary encoder 86 for detecting the rotation amount of the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B driven by the SF motor 81. Etc. are connected. In addition, a sensor (not shown) for detecting the conveyance position of the recording paper is connected. Based on the output signal of the sensor and the encoder amount detected by the rotary encoders 86 and 87, the CPU 88 grasps the recording paper conveyance position and the recording paper conveyance amount.

  Next, the operation of the coupling mechanism 35 will be described together with the operation of feeding the recording paper by the feeding unit 50 configured as described above. In the following, for convenience of explanation, the feeding roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A are coupled by the coupling mechanism 35 in a state where the protruding piece 105 is in contact with the side surface 128 of the recess 123 before the recording paper feeding operation is started. It shall be. Further, the description will be made assuming that when the paper feed roller 60A slips, the paper feed roller 60B also slips. In addition, since the connection mechanism 36 moves in substantially the same manner as the connection mechanism 35, a detailed description of the movement of the connection mechanism 36 is omitted here.

  When the SF motor 81 is rotated forward to feed the recording paper, as shown in FIG. 8A, the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B start to rotate counterclockwise. As a result, the recording paper begins to be fed in the feeding direction 43 (see FIG. 3) by the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B. When the recording paper is fed, the auxiliary rollers 61A and 61B are rotated (followed) in the same rotational direction as the paper feeding rollers 60A and 60B by the frictional force generated between the recording paper and the auxiliary rollers 61A and 61B.

  On the other hand, when the conveyance force of the paper feed roller 60A with respect to the recording paper is insufficient, the paper feed roller 60A slips on the recording paper and idles without the recording paper being conveyed. In the coupling mechanism 35, play is provided between the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A. For this reason, even if the paper feed roller 60A idles, the rotational force is not immediately transmitted to the auxiliary roller 61A. At this time, since the recording paper is not fed, the rotation of the auxiliary roller 61A also stops. That is, only the paper feed roller 60A continues to rotate in a state where the recording paper is not fed. Even when the paper feed roller 60B slips, the coupling mechanism 36 performs the same movement.

  When the paper feed roller 60A slips, as shown in FIG. 8B, in the coupling mechanism 35, the paper feed roller 60A (the support shaft 103) rotates counterclockwise with respect to the auxiliary roller 61A. Accordingly, the protruding piece 105 that is in contact with the side surface 128 of the recess 123 (see FIG. 8A) is separated from the side surface 128 (see FIG. 8B). After that, when the sheet feeding roller 60A further rotates (idle), the protruding piece 105 moves to the side surface 127 (changes in posture) and reaches the side surface 127 (see FIG. 8C). When the paper feed roller 60A rotates in this state, the protruding piece 105 presses the side surface 127 counterclockwise (see the white arrow). Therefore, the rotational force of the paper feed roller 60A is transmitted to the auxiliary roller 61A, and both the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A rotate. As a result, a sufficient conveying force is transmitted to the recording sheet by both the sheet feeding roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A, and therefore the feeding of the recording sheet is started again. In particular, as described above, since the auxiliary roller 61A has a higher friction coefficient on the roller surface than the paper feed roller 60A, a larger conveying force than the paper feed roller 60A can be applied to the recording paper, and recording can be performed more reliably. Paper can be fed.

  Further, when the recording sheet starts to be conveyed by the conveying roller pair 63, the control unit 84 stops the rotation of the SF motor 81 in order to prevent the recording sheet from being bent. At this time, as shown in FIG. 9A, only the auxiliary roller 61A rotates counterclockwise in response to the frictional force from the recording paper. In other words, the paper feed roller 60A (the support shaft 103) rotates in the clockwise direction relative to the auxiliary roller 61A. On the other hand, the paper feed roller 60A slips on the recording paper. Accordingly, the protruding piece 105 that is in contact with the side surface 127 of the recess 123 (see FIG. 9A) is separated from the side surface 127 (see FIG. 9B).

  Thereafter, when the recording paper is further conveyed and the auxiliary roller 61A rotates counterclockwise, the protruding piece 105 moves (changes in posture) toward the side surface 128 and reaches the side surface 128 (see FIG. 9C). ). In this state, the stop torque of the SF motor 81 acts on the side surface 128 from the projection piece 105 (see the white arrow). Accordingly, the auxiliary roller 61A also stops upon receiving the stop torque. At this time, both the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A slip on the recording paper.

  When the recording paper is further conveyed and the trailing edge of the recording paper passes the paper feeding roller 60A, the paper feeding roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A are moved to the next recording paper in a state where the protruding piece 105 is in contact with the side surface 128. Placed on top.

  Thus, since the coupling mechanisms 35 and 36 are provided, even if the paper feeding rollers 60A and 60B slip, if the paper feeding rollers 60A and 60B idle until the coupling mechanisms 35 and 36 are free of play, the auxiliary roller 61A and 61B begin to rotate. As a result, since a larger conveying force is applied to the recording paper, each roller does not slip with respect to the recording paper, and the recording paper is reliably fed.

  Note that when the recording paper is fed by the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B and the auxiliary rollers 61A and 61B, the pressure contact force against the recording paper increases, so the frequency of double feeding increases, and the number of sheets at the time of double feeding also increases. Become more. However, as described above, the play provided in the coupling mechanisms 35 and 36 is such that the arc of the paper feed roller 60A corresponding to the predetermined rotation angle α (FIG. 6C) is above and below the inclined plate 22 described above. It is set to be longer than the length L in the direction 7 (see FIG. 3). Therefore, the front end of the recording sheet passes through the inclined plate 22 before the press contact force is increased, that is, before the rotational force is applied to the auxiliary rollers 61A and 61B. After the recording paper passes through the inclined plate 22, no double feed occurs even if the pressure contact force against the recording paper increases.

  Here, in the above-described embodiment, it has been described that the paper feed roller 60B slips when the paper feed roller 60A slips. However, a case where only the paper feed roller 60A slips will be considered. In this case, the recording paper is not fed by the paper feed roller 60A, and the recording paper is fed only by the paper feed roller 60B. Accordingly, the recording paper is gradually inclined toward the paper feed roller 60A. However, when the protruding piece 105 moves from the side surface 128 to the side surface 127 due to the slip of the paper feed roller 60A, the rotational force is transmitted to the auxiliary roller 61A and the auxiliary roller 61A starts to rotate. For this reason, the recording paper is not greatly skewed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the feeding unit 50 has been described as having two paper feeding rollers 60A and 60B. However, the feeding unit 50 has three or more paper feeding rollers, It is good also as a structure by which the auxiliary | assistant roller was provided. Of course, the feeding unit 50 may be configured to have one paper feed roller and one or a plurality of auxiliary rollers connected thereto.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the paper feeding roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A are coaxially supported by the coupling mechanism 35 and arranged in parallel in the left-right direction 9 has been described. The arrangement with 61A is not limited to the parallel arrangement. For example, the rollers 60A and the auxiliary rollers 61A may be connected to each other with play by the connecting mechanism 35 in a state where the auxiliary roller 61A is separated in the front-rear direction.

  In the above-described embodiment, when the recording sheet starts to be conveyed by the conveying roller pair 63, the SF motor 81 is stopped and the rotation of the sheet feeding rollers 61A and 61B is stopped. However, the sheet feeding rollers 61A and 61B are not necessarily used. There is no need to stop the rotation. For example, if the conveying roller 64 is set to a rotational speed faster than the rotational speed of the paper feeding rollers 61A and 61B, the recording paper can be prevented from being bent, and the side surface during the conveyance of the recording paper by the conveying roller pair 63 can be prevented. The protruding piece 105 can be returned to the position where it abuts on 128.

  In the above-described embodiment, the coupling mechanism 35 may include an elastic member such as a torsion coil spring between the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A. For example, a configuration in which one end of the torsion coil spring is fixed to the support shaft 103 and the other end is fixed to the side surface 125 of the auxiliary roller 61A in a state where the torsion coil spring is inserted through the support shaft 103 is conceivable. At this time, the torsion coil spring is configured so that the auxiliary roller 61A is urged with a predetermined spring force against the paper feed roller 60A so that the protruding piece 105 can be held at a position in contact with the side surface 128 by receiving the spring force. Is provided. The spring force of the torsion coil spring at this time needs to be set so that the auxiliary roller 61A can be rotated by feeding the recording paper. Specifically, the spring force is applied to the auxiliary roller 61A in a state where the recording paper is not conveyed by the conveying roller pair 63, that is, in a state where the recording paper is conveyed only by the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A. Is set to a force smaller than the contact friction generated between the recording medium and the recording paper. Since such a spring force is set, when the recording sheet is conveyed only by the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A, the auxiliary roller 61A resists the spring force by the frictional force received from the recording sheet. Then take me around. On the other hand, when the pressure contact force of the transport roller pair 63 is set to a value larger than the pressure contact force between the paper feed roller 60A and the recording paper, when the recording paper starts to be transported by the transport roller pair 63, the paper feed roller 60A. Is pulled from the recording paper in the feeding direction 43 (see FIG. 3). This tensile force acts in a direction to separate the arm member 52 from the recording paper. When the auxiliary roller 61A is separated from the recording sheet by pulling the arm member 52 in the feeding direction 43, or when the contact friction between the auxiliary roller 61A and the recording sheet becomes smaller than the spring force, the auxiliary roller 61A Rotates in response to the spring force from the torsion coil spring. As a result, the protruding piece 105 is returned to a position where it comes into contact with the side surface 128. As a result, when the next recording sheet is fed, feeding is started again only by the sheet feeding roller 60A.

  In the above-described embodiment, the coupling mechanisms 35 and 36 are employed as the coupling mechanism of the present invention. However, as a modification of the coupling mechanism, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, a rubber is provided between the two shaft couplings 130B. Alternatively, a coupling 130 provided with an elastic member 130A such as a coil spring, or a coupling 131 provided with a bellows 131A formed of resin or metal between two shaft couplings 131B may be employed. By connecting the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A using these couplings 130 and 131, a play in the rotational direction according to the elasticity of the elastic member between the paper feed roller 60A and the auxiliary roller 61A, Or the play according to the deformation | transformation tolerance of a bellows can be provided.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the projecting piece 105 of the coupling mechanism 35 is returned to the position where it abuts on the side surface 128 using the difference in rotational speed between the transport roller 64 and the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B. A method of positively returning the protruding piece 105 of the coupling mechanism 35 to the position where it abuts on the side surface 128 by controlling the rotational drive of the SF motor 81 may be employed. Specifically, when the trailing edge of the recording paper passes through the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B, the stopped SF motor 81 is reversely rotated to rotate the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B clockwise in FIG. The rotation amount at this time may be at least the predetermined rotation angle α described above. When the SF motor 81 is reversed, the recording paper tries to move in the direction opposite to the feeding direction 43 (see FIG. 3), but the movement is blocked by the rear guide 17. At this time, the paper feed rollers 60A and 60B slip on the recording paper. On the other hand, since the recording paper is not fed, the auxiliary rollers 61A and 61B are stopped without rotating. For this reason, even if only the sheet feeding rollers 60 </ b> A and 60 </ b> B rotate, the protruding piece 105 is returned to the position where it contacts the side surface 128 even when the protruding piece 105 is in contact with the side surface 127.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a multifunction machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of the multifunction machine 1. In FIG. 2, the main body casing 2 and the scanner unit 19 are omitted. 3A and 3B are schematic views showing the configurations of the paper feed tray 20 and the feed unit 50. FIG. 3A is a plan view, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line IIIB-IIIB. Yes. FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the feeding unit 50. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the coupling mechanism 35, and the first coupling portion 35A on the paper feed roller 60A side is shown in detail. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the coupling mechanism 35, in which the second coupling portion 35B on the auxiliary roller 61A side is shown in detail. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the control unit 84 of the multifunction machine 1. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining the movement of the coupling mechanism 35 when the recording paper is fed, and shows a cross-sectional view taken along a cutting line PP in FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining the movement of the coupling mechanism 35 when the recording paper is fed, and shows a cross-sectional view taken along a cutting line PP in FIG. FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a modification of the coupling mechanism of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Multifunction machine 17 ... Rear guide 20 ... Paper feed tray 22 ... Inclined plate 23 ... Separation teeth 35, 36 ... Connection mechanism 50 ... Feeding unit 52 ... Arm Members 60A, 60B ... feed rollers 61A, 61B ... auxiliary roller 63 ... conveying roller pair 64 ... conveying roller 70 ... image recording unit 84 ... control unit

Claims (8)

A sheet conveying apparatus that conveys a sheet held in a sheet holding unit in a first conveying direction,
An arm member supported rotatably on the upper side of the sheet holding portion and extending obliquely downward from the rotation center to the first conveying direction;
The arm member is rotatably supported by the arm member and is rotated in the first rotation direction by receiving a driving force from a driving source in contact with the sheet held by the sheet holding unit. A first roller for feeding the sheet in one conveying direction;
A second roller supported by the arm member so as to be rotatable in the same direction as the rotation direction of the first roller, and in contact with the sheet held by the sheet holding unit;
A sheet conveying apparatus comprising: a coupling mechanism that couples the first roller and the second roller in a rotational direction in a state where the second roller has a play of a predetermined rotation angle with respect to the first roller. The coupling mechanism is
The first connecting posture capable of transmitting the rotational force for conveying the sheet in the first conveying direction to the second roller, and the rotational force for conveying the sheet in the second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction. It is configured to be able to change posture between a second connecting posture that can be transmitted to two rollers,
The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein play of the predetermined rotation angle is set between the first connection posture and the second connection posture. A pair of transport rollers provided on the first transport direction side of the first roller and driven to rotate at a rotational speed faster than the first roller;
The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an elastic member that urges the second roller toward the first rotation direction with a predetermined elastic force with respect to the first roller. A sheet guide that is provided in the sheet holding unit and contacts the end of the sheet opposite to the first conveying direction to position the end;
Drive control means for controlling the drive of the drive source,
3. The drive control unit according to claim 1, wherein the drive control unit rotates the first roller at least the predetermined rotation angle in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction before starting conveyance of the next sequential sheet. The sheet conveying apparatus according to the description.   The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first roller and the second roller are arranged coaxially. The first roller is separated in a direction orthogonal to the first transport direction, and a plurality of the first rollers are provided on the same axis.
The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second roller is coupled to each of the plurality of first rollers via the coupling mechanism. An inclined plate that is erected at an end of the sheet holding portion on the first conveying direction side and is inclined toward the first conveying direction side;
The sheet is provided when end portions of the plurality of sheet bundles provided on the inclined surface of the inclined plate and sent out from the sheet holding unit in the first conveying direction come into contact with the inclined surface. A separation member for separating the uppermost sheet of the bundle,
The predetermined rotation angle is set so that an arc of the first roller corresponding to the predetermined rotation angle is longer than a dimension of the inclined plate in the first transport direction. The sheet conveying apparatus according to the description. A sheet conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
An image recording apparatus comprising: an image recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet fed from the sheet holding unit by the sheet conveying device.

Images