JP2001001591 | IMAGE RECORDING DEVICE |
JP2735558 | [Title of Invention] Image forming apparatus |
KIM DANG YOU (KR)
LEE JIN WOO (KR)
JP2006240831A | 2006-09-14 | |||
JPH04136882A | 1992-05-11 |
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A paper size detection device comprising: a first actuator comprising a plurality of operating arms and a first detection arm to move in association with movement of the plurality of operating arms, the plurality of operating arms having lengths or angles different from each other; a first sensor to output different results in accordance with a position of the first detection arm; a second actuator comprising one operating arm and a second detection arm to move in association with movement of the one operating arm; and a second sensor to output different results in accordance with a position of the second detection arm. 2. The paper size detection device according to claim 1, wherein the first actuator comprises: a first operating arm of the plurality of operating arms to come into contact with a paper having a first size; and a second operating arm of the plurality of operating arms to come into contact with a paper having a second size, the second operating arm being longer than the first operating arm. 3. The paper size detection device according to claim 2, wherein the second actuator comprises a third operating arm to come into contact with a paper having a third size, and wherein the first operating arm, the third operating arm, and the second operating arm are in sequence in a direction farther away from a center of a paper transfer path. 4. The paper size detection device according to claim 2, wherein the first detection arm is at a first position when the first and second operating arms are not in contact with a paper, the first detection arm is at a second position when the first operating arm is in contact with the paper having the first size, and the first detection arm is at a third position when the second operating arm is in contact with the paper having the second size. 5. The paper size detection device according to claim 2, wherein an end of each of the first operating arm and the second operating arm is tapered so that each of the first operating arm and the second operating arm rotates when in contact with the paper. 6. The paper size detection device according to claim 1, wherein the first actuator comprises: a first operating arm of the plurality of operating arms to come into contact with a paper having a first size and to tilt at a first angle with respect to a transfer path of a paper; and a second operating arm of the plurality of operating armsto come into contact with a paper having a second size and to tilt at a second angle with respect to the transfer path. 7. The paper size detection device according to claim 6, wherein the second actuator comprises a third operating arm of the plurality of operating arms to come into contact with a paper having a third size, and wherein the first operating arm, the third operating arm, and the second operating arm are in sequence in a direction farther away from the center of the paper transfer path. 8. The paper size detection device according to claim 7, wherein the third operating arm to tilt at the first angle with respect to the transfer path. 9. The paper size detection device according to claim 6, wherein the second angle is larger than the first angle. 10. An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper cassette on which a paper is stacked; a plurality of detection devices to detect a size of the paper stacked on the paper cassette; and a processor to confirm the size of the paper based on a signal value output from a plurality of sensors, wherein a first detection device among the plurality of detection devices comprises a first operating arm to come into contact with a paper having a first size, a second operating arm to come into contact with a paper having a second size, a first detection arm to rotate in association with movement of the first and second operating arms, and a first sensor to output different result in accordance with rotation of the first detection arm. 11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, comprising: a knock-up plate to move the paper stacked in the paper cassette to a paper feeding position, wherein the first operating arm extends toward the paper feeding position to have a first length, and wherein the second operating arm extends toward the paper feeding position to have a second length that is longer than the first length. 12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a second detection device among the plurality of detection devices comprises: a second actuator comprising a third operating arm to come into contact with a paper having a third size and a second detection arm to move in association with movement of the third operating arm; and a second sensor to output different results in accordance with a position of the second detection arm, wherein the first operating arm, the third operating arm, and the second operating arm are in sequence in a direction farther away from a center of a paper transfer path. 13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, comprising: a paper feeding device to move the paper stacked in the paper cassette in a paper transfer direction, wherein the first operating arm to tilt at a first angle with respect to a transfer path of a paper, and wherein the second operating arm to tilt at a second angle with respect to the transfer path. 14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a second detection device among the plurality of detection devices comprises: a second actuator comprising a third operating arm to come into contact with a paper having a third size and a second detection arm to move in association with movement of the third operating arm; and a second sensor to output different results in accordance with a position of the second detection arm, wherein the first operating arm, the third operating arm, and the second operating arm are in sequence in a direction farther away from the center of the paper transfer path. 15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the second angle is larger than the first angle. |
[0077] When expanding the paper size detection device according to an example, in order to distinguish the empty case and papers having N types of sizes, in other words, in order to identify N + 1 cases, (N + 1)/2 sensors and actuators may be used (herein, the number below the decimal point is rounded off). Accordingly, it is possible to reduce product production cost by minimizing the number of components used for paper size detection. [0078] The paper size detection device according to another example may be disposed on a transfer path A of the paper (see FIG.1), not at the paper feeding position, and may identify the size of the paper P being transferred. [0079] Hereinafter, the paper size detection device according to the other example will be described with reference to FIGS.8 to 12. [0080] FIG. 8 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a first detection device 2100 among a plurality of detection devices included in the paper size detection device according to the other example. [0081] Referring to FIG. 8, the first detection device 2100 may include a first actuator 2110 and a second sensor 2150. [0082] The first actuator 2110 may include a first shaft 2111 rotatable around a first rotation axis, a plurality of operating arms 2120 and 2130 and a first detection arm 2140 connected to the first shaft 2111. [0083] The plurality of operating arms may include a first operating arm 2120 and a second operating arm 2130. In this case, the operating arms 2120 and 2130 may be disposed on the first shaft 2111 to be spaced apart with an interval and may be formed at different positions with respect to a circumferential direction of the first shaft 2111. For example, the first operating arm 2120 may be disposed to tilt at a first angle with respect to a transfer path (+ X axis direction) of the paper and the second operating arm 2130 may be disposed to tilt at a second angle that is larger than the first angle with respect to the transfer path (+ X axis direction) of the paper. [0084] The first detection arm 2140 may be connected to the first shaft 2111 to rotate at the same angle as the first operating arm 2120 and the second operating arm 2130. The first detection arm 2140 may be disposed in a detection region where the first sensor 2150 is able to detect the first detection arm 2140 or a non-detection region where the first detection arm 2140 is not able to be detected, in accordance with the rotation angle. [0085] The first sensor 2150 may output a signal corresponding to the position of the first detection arm 2140. The operation of the first sensor 2150 is the same as the operation of the sensor described above with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7, and therefore the overlapped description will not be repeated. [0086] The plurality of operating arms may be disposed in the transfer path A of the paper and any one of the plurality of operating arms may come into contact with the paper P when the paper passes through the transfer path. [0087] The first operating arm 2120 and the second operating arm 2130 may be disposed in sequence in a direction farther away from the center of the paper transfer path. Accordingly, referring to FIG. 8, when the paper P1 having the first size is transferred, the paper P1 may come into contact with the first operating arm 2120, and when the paper P2 having the second size that is larger than the first size is transferred, the paper P2 may come into contact with the second operating arm 2130. Since the operating arm 2130 is formed to have a larger angle with respect to the transfer path (+ X axis direction) of the paper than the first operating arm 2120, in other words, the operating arm 2130 is formed at the upstream of the transfer path of the paper, the paper P2 having the second size may come into contact with the second operating arm 2130 first. Accordingly, the paper P2 may come into contact with the second operating arm 2130, without contact with the first operating arm 2120. [0088] Hereinafter, an operation of the actuator according to a size of a paper to be contacted will be described with reference to FIGS.9 to 11. [0089] FIGS.9 to 11 are side views for illustrating the operation of the detection device according to another example. [0090] FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating a state before the paper P comes into contact with the actuator while being transferred along the transfer path. [0091] Referring to FIG. 9, the first operating arm 2120 and the second operating arm 2130 may be disposed in the transfer path of the paper P, the first operating arm 2120 may be disposed to tilt at the first angle with respect to the transfer path (+ X axis direction) of the paper, and the second operating arm 2130 may be disposed to tilt at the second angle larger than the first angle with respect to the transfer path (+ X axis direction) of the paper. [0092] The first operating arm 2120 and the second operating arm 2130 may be disposed in the transfer path of the paper P so as to rotate around a rotation axis of the actuator 2110, when coming into contact with the paper P. In this case, since the first operating arm 2120, the second operating arm 2130, and the first detection arm 2140 are connected to the actuator 2110, if any one of the first operating arm 2120 and the second operating arm 2130 rotates, the first operating arm 2120, the second operating arm 2130, and the first detection arm 2140 may rotate at the same angle at the same time. [0093] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating a state where the paper P1 having the first size is transferred and comes into contact with the first operating arm 2120 while being transferred. [0094] Referring to FIG. 10, the first operating arm 2120 may come into contact with the paper P1 having the first size and rotate at a certain angle. Accordingly, the first detection arm 2140 connected to the actuator 2110 may rotate at the same angle as the rotation angle of the first operating arm 2120 to be disposed in the detection region of the first sensor 2150. [0095] Meanwhile, FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating a state where the paper P2 having the second size is transferred and comes into contact with the second operating arm 2130 while being transferred. [0096] Referring to FIG. 11, the second operating arm 2130 may come into contact with the paper P2 having the second size and rotate at a certain angle. In this case, since the second operating arm 2130 is formed at the upstream of the transfer path of the paper than the first operating arm 2120, when the paper P2 having the second size comes into contact with the second operating arm 2130, the second operating arm 2130 may rotate at an angle larger than the angle at which the first operating arm 2120 comes into contact with the paper P1 having the first size and rotates. [0097] Accordingly, the first detection arm 2140 connected to the actuator 2110 may rotate at the same angle as the rotation angle of the second operating arm 2130. In this case, referring to FIG. 11, the first detection arm 2140 may rotate at a larger angle, compared to the case where the operating arm comes into contact with the paper P1 having the first size, and accordingly, the first detection arm 2140 may pass the detection region of the first sensor 2150 and may be disposed in the non-detection region. [0098] The first sensor 2150 may output different results depending on the position of the first detection arm 2140. For example, when the first detection arm 2140 is disposed in the detection region of the first sensor 2150 as illustrated in FIG. 10, the first sensor 2150 may output a value of 1, and when the first detection arm 2140 is disposed in the non-detection region of the first sensor 2150 as illustrated in FIGS.9 and 11, the first sensor 2150 may output a value of 0. [0099] The paper size detection device according to an example may output different signals from a sensor when coming into contact with each of the paper P1 having the first size or the paper P2 having the second size using one actuator and one sensor. Hereinafter, a paper size detection device including a plurality of actuators and sensors, the device for identifying more types of paper sizes than the number of sensors by combining signals output from the plurality of sensors will be described with reference to FIG.12. [00100] FIG.12 is a perspective view illustrating a paper size detection device according to another example. [00101] The paper size detection device may include the first detection device 2100 including the first actuator 2110 and the second sensor 2150, and a second detection device 2200. [00102] The first detection device 2100 has been described above with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11, and therefore the overlapped description will not be repeated. [00103] The second detection device 2200 may include a second actuator 2210 and a second sensor 2250. [00104] The second actuator 2210 may include a second shaft 2211 rotatable around a second rotation axis formed to be parallel with the first rotation axis of the first actuator 2110, and a third operating arm 2220 and a second detection arm 2240 connected to the second shaft 2211. [00105] The second detection arm 2240 may be connected to the second shaft 2211 to rotate at the same angle as the third operating arm 2220. The second detection arm 2240 may be disposed in a detection region where the second sensor 2250 is able to detect the second detection arm 2240 or a non- detection region where the second detection arm 2240 is not able to be detected, in accordance with the rotation angle. [00106] The third operating arm 2220 may be disposed in the transfer path of the paper P. In this case, the third operating arm 2220 may be formed to have the same angle as the first operating arm 2120 with respect to the transfer path (+ X axis direction) of the paper. Accordingly, when the third operating arm 2220 comes into contact with the paper P, the second detection arm 2240 may be disposed in the detection region of the second sensor 2250 by rotating at the same angle as the angle, at which the first detection arm 2140 rotates when the first operating arm 2120 of the first actuator 2110 comes into contact with the paper P (see FIG.10). [00107] Meanwhile, the first operating arm 2120, the third operating arm 2220, and the second operating arm 2130 may be disposed in sequence in a direction farther away from the center of the paper transfer path. Accordingly, referring to FIG. 12, when the paper P1 having the first size is transferred, the paper P1 may come into contact with the first operating arm 2120, and when the paper P2 having the second size that is larger than the first size is transferred, the paper P2 may come into contact with the third operating arm 2220. In addition, when the paper P3 having the third size larger than the second size is transferred, the paper P3 may come into contact with the second operating arm 2130. [00108] In this case, the paper P1 having the first size comes into contact with the first operating arm 2120 and does not come into contact with the third operating arm 2220 and the second operating arm 2130. Accordingly, when the paper P1 having the first size is fed, the first sensor 2150 may output a value of 1 and the second sensor 2250 may output a value of 0. [00109] Meanwhile, since the first operating arm 2120 and the third operating arm 2220 are formed to have the same angle with respect to the transfer path (+ X axis direction) of the paper, the paper P2 having the second size may come into contact with both the first operating arm 2120 and the third operating arm 2220. Accordingly, when the paper P2 having the second size is fed, both the first sensor 2150 and the second sensor 2250 may output a value of 1. [00110] Since the second operating arm 2130 is formed at the upstream of the paper transfer path than the first operating arm 2120, when the paper P3 having the third size comes into contact with the first actuator 2110, the first detection arm 2140 may be disposed in the non-detection region of the first sensor 2150 by rotating at an angle larger than the case where the paper P1 having the first size comes into contact with the first operating arm 2120 (see FIG. 11). Meanwhile, when the paper P3 having the third size comes into contact with the second actuator 2210, the paper P3 may come into contact with the third operating arm 2220, and accordingly, the second detection arm 2240 may be disposed in the detection region of the second sensor 2250 (see FIG. 10). Therefore, when the paper P3 having the third size is fed, the first sensor 2150 may output a value of 0 and the second sensor 2250 may output a value of 1. [00111] The processor included in the image forming apparatus 1 may confirm a size of a paper based on a signal value output from the first sensor 2150 and the second sensor 2250. [00112] Accordingly, the processor may identify whether the transfer path is empty without paper being transferred, and the papers having three types of sizes through the two actuators and the two sensors, and accordingly, the processor may identify four cases in total. [00113] As described above, two sensors and two actuators rather than three sensors and three actuators are used to identify the papers having three sizes through the paper size detection device according to the other example. Accordingly, in the examples of the present disclosure, cost is reduced by removing materials included in a product and power consumption is reduced through minimizing the number of optical sensors. [00114] Meanwhile, by increasing the number of actuators and sensors according to the other example, papers having four or more sizes may be identified. Even in this case, the sizes of the papers may be identified using the number of actuators and sensors smaller than the number of actuators and sensors used in the related art to identify the same number of paper sizes. The increase of the number of cases to be identified according to the increase of the number of actuators and sensors is the same as described above with reference to FIG. 7, and therefore the overlapped description will not be repeated. [00115] The disclosure has been described above with the exemplified method. The terms used herein are for description and should not be understood as limited meanings. Various modifications and changes of the disclosure can be performed according to the above description. Therefore, unless otherwise noted, the disclosure may be practiced freely within the scope of the appended claims.
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