The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 30, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 26, 1998
Ken Nonaka, Hachioji, JP;
Tadayoshi Ikeda, Hachioji, JP;
Konica Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A device for detecting a width of a sheet placed on a manual feeding tray of an image forming apparatus includes a first and a second sheet regulating member for moving in a sheet width direction so as to come in contact with both sides of the sheet and for holding the sheet therebetween, thereby regulating movement of the sheet in the sheet width direction. A first rack member, on which a first rack is arranged in the sheet width direction, moves interlockingly with the first sheet regulating member. A second rack member, on which a second rack and a sheet width-detecting rack are respectively arranged in the sheet width direction, moves interlockingly with the second sheet regulating member. The second rack is positioned so as to face the first rack on the first rack member, and a pinion engages with the first rack and the second rack. A gear engages with the sheet width-detecting rack, and a rotary variable resistor is provided which has a shaft which is coaxially joined to the gear so as to regulate rotational displacement of the rotary variable resistor relative to the gear. The rotary variable resistor is rotated when at least one of the first and the second sheet regulating members is moved so as to hold the sheet therebetween, and the rotary variable resistor has a resistance value which is varied in accordance with a rotation angle thereof. A detector is provided for detecting the width of the sheet based on the resistance value of the rotary variable resistor.