US 12,077,399 B2
Sheet supplying apparatus
Shoichiro Nishimura, Yokkaichi (JP); and Kouichi Sugimoto, Nagakute (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Mar. 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/685,669.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-033163 (JP), filed on Mar. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0281699 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. B65H 1/14 (2006.01); B65H 1/04 (2006.01); B65H 1/12 (2006.01); B65H 1/24 (2006.01); B65H 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 1/14 (2013.01) [B65H 1/04 (2013.01); B65H 1/12 (2013.01); B65H 1/24 (2013.01); B65H 3/06 (2013.01); B65H 3/0661 (2013.01); B65H 2405/1117 (2013.01); B65H 2407/21 (2013.01); B65H 2801/06 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sheet supplying apparatus, comprising:
a supplying roller configured to supply a sheet;
a supply tray supporting the sheet and including a pressure plate movable between a supply position at which an uppermost sheet in the supply tray is caused to be brought into contact with the supplying roller and a non-supply position which is lower than the supply position; and
a lifting/lowering member having a gear and a protrusion protruding from the gear, the lifting/lowering member being configured to move so as to move the pressure plate in a state in which the protrusion of lifting/lowering member is in contact with the pressure plate from below,
wherein the pressure plate includes:
a pressure plate body supporting the sheet; and
a contact member supported by the pressure plate body so as to be movable between a first position and a second position, the contact member being pushed up with the pressure plate body while being in contact with the protrusion of the lifting/lowering member at the first position when the protrusion of the lifting/lowering member is lifted for moving the pressure plate from the non-supply position to the supply position in a state in which the protrusion of the lifting/lowering member is placed below the pressure plate body, the contact member being lowered with the pressure plate body while being in contact with the protrusion of the lifting/lowering member at the first position when the lifting/lowering member is lowered for moving the pressure plate from the supply position to the non-supply position in the state in which the lifting/lowering member is placed below the pressure plate body,
wherein in a state where the protrusion of the lifting/lowering member is at a position higher than the pressure plate, the contact member is configured to move to the second position where the contact member is pushed away by the lifting/lowering member in accordance with the contact with the protrusion of the lifting/lowering member as the protrusion of the lifting/lowering member moves from the position higher than the pressure plate toward a position lower than the pressure plate, and
wherein the contact member is configured to move to the first position when the lifting/lowering member moves to the position lower than the pressure plate.