Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Norikazu Soga

Nobuyuki Torisawa

Toshihiro Suya

Issy Matsuda

Koji Ichikawa

Hirofumi Ohnishi

Disclosed herein is a device for feeding sheets, one by one, from a stack of sheets. The sheet feeding device basically comprises a suction cup or pad which is used to attract and hold an uppermost one of stacked sheets for thereby taking out the uppermost sheet from the stacked sheets and which is swingable at a given angular range, a delivery mechanism for receiving the uppermost sheet from the suction pad for deliverying the same to a succeeding device, a drive source for swinging the suction pad, and a control circuit for swinging the suction pad at, at least, either a first angular velocity or a second angular velocity which is lower than the first angular velocity and is used to deliver the uppermost sheet to the delivery mechanism. The sheet conveying speed the delivery mechanism to the succeeding device can accurately be adjusted so as to match with the actual sheet conveying speed of the succeeding device.

Sheet feeding device

The present invention relates to a device for feeding sheets, one by one, to an automatic photographic processor or the like. The sheet feeding device generally includes a suction pad for taking out an uppermost sheet of stacked sheets stored in a sheet placement unit, a delivery mechanism for delivering the uppermost sheet to a sheet discharge port, a shutter mechanism used to open and close the sheet discharge port, a sheet insertion slot for directly introducing an extra sheet other than said stacked sheets to the sheet discharge port, a cover capable of opening and closing the sheet insertion slot, a magazine capable of accommodating a roll of sheet therein and capable of being disposed in the sheet insertion slot, a swingable plate having one end coupled to a drive source and the other end brought into engagement with the shutter mechanism so as to open and close the shutter mechanism, and a sensor for detecting angular positions of the swingable plate. Alternatively, the shutter mechanism may be opened and closed using a rack and pinion system.

Photographic light-sensitive mediums such as sheets are fed one by one by a suction pad in a sheet-feed control device. The suction pad is displaced downward at a low speed in a position near a stack of sheets so as to approach an uppermost one of the sheets, thereby attracting the uppermost sheet to the suction pad, and the uppermost sheet is flexed by a sheet presser while it is being separated away from the other sheets. Then, a judgement is made as to whether the suction pad attracts either a single sheet or a plurality of sheets, by detecting the magnitude of the flexion of the sheet or sheets attracted. Then, the suction pad is displaced again toward the position where the uppermost sheet is to be attracted, when it is detected that the suction pad has attracted the plurality of sheets. At this time, the suction pad is placed in a given stop position, thereby releasing the plurality of sheets from the suction pad. It is then detected whether the plurality of sheets have been released from the suction pad. After the plurality of sheets have been released from the suction pad, the suction pad is displaced again toward the position where the suction pad attracts the uppermost sheet so as to attract and hold the uppermost sheet.

Method of and device for controlling feeding of sheets by detecting

Sheets such as photographic films are fed one by one by suction cups in an image recording system. A resilient sheet separator is brought into abutment against an uppermost one of stacked sheets, and then the suction cups are moved toward the uppermost sheet. Before the suction cups reach the uppermost sheet, they are activated to attract the uppermost sheet under suction. The sheet separator pushes the uppermost sheet in one direction and the suction cups draw the uppermost sheet in the opposite direction, so that the attracted uppermost sheet is greatly flexed fully out of contact with the next sheet of the sheet stack. Thereafter, the suction cups and the sheet separator are displaced away from the sheet stack, separating the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack. A detecting arrangement detects whether the suction cup attracts a single sheet. The detecting arrangement includes a detecting rod for abutting against the uppermost sheet attracted by the suction cup, and a sensor energizable by the detecting rod.

Device for feeding sheets having a detecting means for detecting misfeeds

Sheets such as photographic films are fed one by one by suction cups in an image recording system. A resilient sheet separator is brought into abutment against an uppermost one of stacked sheets, and then the suction cups are moved toward the uppermost sheet. Before the suction cups reach the uppermost sheet, they are activated to attract the uppermost sheet under suction. The sheet separator pushes the uppermost sheet in one direction and the suction cups draw the uppermost sheet in the opposite direction, so that the attracted uppermost sheet is greatly flexed fully out of contact with the next sheet of the sheet stack. Thereafter, the suction cups and the sheet separator are displaced away from the sheet stack, separating the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack. Air may be forcibly be introduced between the uppermost and next sheets, so that the remaining sheets can reliably be separated from the attracted uppermost sheet.

Method of and device for feeding sheets

A liquid level detecting device comprises a vibrator for vibrating a sample vessel containing a sample solution, and a piezo-electric element provided on a suction member having an opening for sucking the sample solution. Changes in the output voltage of the piezo-electric element are read out as the suction member is moved vertically, contact of the lower end of the suction member with the sample solution is detected based on the changes in the output voltage, and the liquid level of the sample solution is detected. Or, the liquid level detecting device comprises a vibration transmitting plate for holding a nozzle member to a suction member, a vibrator for vibrating the nozzle member at a predetermined frequency, a frequency control circuit for changing the frequency of vibration, and a detector for detecting extreme values of the output voltage of the vibrator corresponding to changes in the frequency. The liquid level is detected based on changes in the extreme values.

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Minami-ashigara, Japan

Norikazu Soga