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:
Jan. 06, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 06, 2001
Takao Araki, Kasuga, JP;
Kosuke Takaki, Kasuga, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
There are disclosed a pressing force adjustable roller unit, a sheet member or transport system in an image processing apparatus provided with the roller unit, and a sheet member supply system in which multi-transport can securely be prevented. In a holder to which a roller is attached via a holding shaft to move the roller in a load direction from a peripheral surface, a torsion spring is connected in a direction in which the holding shaft is pressed downward, a windup degree of a winding portion of the torsion spring is adjusted by engagement of an engaging arm projecting from the winding portion with a first or second stopper disposed on a holder side, and a roller pressing force can therefore be adjusted. There are also provided a hopper for piling sheets, a supply roller for picking up and feeding out the sheet, and a multi-transport preventing roller pair of a separation roller and a retard roller so that the hopper can vertically move with respect to the supply roller. When the sheet multi-transport is detected by a multi-transport detection sensor, disposed on an immediate downstream side of the separation roller and retard roller, for detecting the sheet multi-transport, the hopper is shifted in a downward direction apart from the supply roller, a nipping force between the separation roller and retard roller is reduced, and a retard roller rotation torque is increased.