PAPER PUSHING MECHANISM AND SCANNING DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]The present application is based on, and claims priority from, China Patent Application No. 202423244995.4, filed Dec. 26, 2024, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0002]The present invention generally relates to a paper pushing mechanism, and more particularly to a scanning device, and a paper pushing mechanism disposed at a paper outlet of the scanning device to prevent paper discharging errors.

Description of Related Art

[0003]Referring to FIG. 5, an automatic document feeder is commonly installed in a scanning device, so the scanning device automatically scans a lot of documents or image media. A typical paper feeding structure 10′ includes a paper feeding channel 20′, an image reading unit 30′ disposed in the paper feeding channel 20′, a plurality of paper feeding roller sets 11′ disposed in the paper feeding channel 20′, a paper ejecting roller set 12′ disposed at a tail end of the paper feeding channel 20′ for ejecting the scanned documents or the image media, and a paper discharging tray 13′ disposed at the tail end of the paper feeding channel 20′ for temporarily storing ejected documents or ejected image media.

[0004]In order to facilitate scanning the documents with different thicknesses or the image media with various thicknesses, the paper feeding channel 20′ further includes a straight horizontal feeding channel 22′ with an independent paper inlet 21′. Therefore, users may feed the thicker documents or the thicker image media from the independent paper inlet 21′ into the scanning device to scan the thicker documents or the thicker image media, and the thicker documents or the thicker image media without bending are ejected through a paper outlet.

[0005]Referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, in some portable scanning devices for pursuing portabilities, the paper discharging tray 13′ is pivotally connected to the scanning device, and a clamping angle between the paper discharging tray 13′ and the paper feeding channel 20′ is relatively large, so the ejected paper tends to curl inward after the ejected paper collides with the paper discharging tray 13′. The paper discharging tray 13′ with a larger inclination angle also tends to reduce a moving speed of the ejected paper, the later fed paper overtakes the earlier fed paper, so that the later fed paper and the earlier fed paper are inserted into the paper stack in the wrong order. When the moving speed of the ejected paper is too low, a tail edge of the ejected paper may hang on a paper ejecting roller of the paper ejecting roller set 12′, and an ejection of the subsequent paper is affected.

[0006]Thus, it is necessary to design a paper pushing mechanism which is disposed at an outlet of a scanning device, so that a paper ejecting error is avoided.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007]An object of the present invention is to provide a paper pushing mechanism disposed at a paper outlet of a scanning device to prevent paper discharging errors. The paper pushing mechanism is applied to a scanning device which has a paper outlet. The paper pushing mechanism includes a swinging arm, a spring, a first ejecting roller, a first pushing roller and a transmission mechanism. The swinging arm is disposed close to the paper outlet. The swinging arm includes a connecting end pivotally connected to the scanning device, and a swinging end extending towards the paper outlet. Two ends of the spring are respectively connected to the scanning device and the swinging arm. The first ejecting roller is disposed close to the paper outlet. The first pushing roller is pivotally connected to the swinging end of the swinging arm. The transmission mechanism is connected between the first ejecting roller and the first pushing roller. The transmission mechanism makes the first pushing roller and the first ejecting roller rotate in the same direction.

[0008]Another object of the present invention is to provide a paper pushing mechanism. The paper pushing mechanism is applied to a scanning device which has a paper outlet. The paper pushing mechanism includes a swinging arm disposed close to the paper outlet, a spring, a first ejecting roller, a second ejecting roller, a first pushing roller, a second pushing roller and a transmission mechanism. The swinging arm includes a connecting end pivotally connected to the scanning device, and a swinging end extending towards the paper outlet. Two ends of the spring are respectively connected to the scanning device and the swinging arm. The first ejecting roller is disposed close to the paper outlet. The second ejecting roller is disposed close to the paper outlet. The first pushing roller is pivotally connected to the swinging end of the swinging arm. The second pushing roller is disposed near the paper outlet. The transmission mechanism is connected between the first ejecting roller and the first pushing roller. The transmission mechanism makes the first pushing roller and the first ejecting roller rotate in the same direction.

[0009]Another object of the present invention is to provide a scanning device. The scanning device includes a frame, a feeding path accommodated within the frame, at least one paper feeding roller, a scanning unit, a first ejecting roller, a second ejecting roller, a swinging arm, a spring, a first pushing roller, a second pushing roller and a transmission mechanism. The frame is equipped with a driving motor disposed inside the frame. The feeding path includes at least one paper inlet and a paper outlet. The at least one paper feeding roller is mounted to the feeding path, and the at least one paper feeding roller is connected to the driving motor. The scanning unit is disposed to a top and a bottom of the feeding path to read image media. The first ejecting roller is disposed to the feeding path. The first ejecting roller is disposed close to the paper outlet. The first ejecting roller is positioned at a lower side of the feeding path, and the first ejecting roller is connected to the driving motor. The second ejecting roller is disposed to the feeding path. The second ejecting roller is disposed close to the paper outlet. The second ejecting roller is positioned at an upper side of the feeding path, and the second ejecting roller abuts against the first ejecting roller. The swinging arm is disposed to the feeding path. The swinging arm is disposed close to the paper outlet. The swinging arm is positioned to the lower side of the feeding path. The swinging arm includes a connecting end pivotally connected to the frame, and a swinging end extending towards the paper outlet. Two ends of the spring are respectively connected with the frame and the swinging arm, so the swinging end is pushed towards the upper side of the feeding path. The first pushing roller is pivotally connected to the swinging end of the swinging arm. The second pushing roller is disposed to the feeding path. The second pushing roller is disposed near the paper outlet. The second pushing roller is positioned at the upper side of the feeding path. The second pushing roller abuts against the first pushing roller at the time of the swinging arm swinging upward. The transmission mechanism is connected between the first ejecting roller and the first pushing roller. The transmission mechanism makes the first pushing roller and the first ejecting roller rotate in the same direction.

[0010]As described above, the first pushing roller in the paper pushing mechanism is lifted upward by the swinging arm which is able to swing, so that the image media are fed out of the paper outlet at an angle roughly parallel to a paper tray. As a result, curling problems or speed lowering problems of the image media are effectively decreased after the image media collides with the paper tray, and the paper discharging errors are prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0012]FIG. 1 is a sectional diagram of a scanning device according to the present invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a paper pushing mechanism of the scanning device according to the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 3 is a sectional diagram showing that the scanning device feeds a thin paper according to the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 4 is a sectional diagram showing that the scanning device feeds a thick paper according to the present invention;

[0016]FIG. 5 is a sectional diagram of a conventional scanning device in prior art;

[0017]FIG. 6 is a sectional diagram showing that an ejected paper is curled inward in the conventional scanning device;

[0018]FIG. 7 is a sectional diagram showing that the ejected paper from the conventional scanning device is inserted into a paper stack in a wrong order; and

[0019]FIG. 8 is a sectional diagram showing that a tail edge of the ejected paper from the conventional scanning device is hung on a paper ejecting roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020]In order to provide a detailed explanation of a technical content, structural features, achieved objectives and effects of the present invention, following examples are provided with accompanying diagrams for a detailed illustration.

[0021]Referring to FIG. 1, a paper pushing mechanism 40, and a scanning device 100 including the paper pushing mechanism 40 according to the present invention are shown. The scanning device 100 utilizes the paper pushing mechanism 40. The scanning device 100 includes a frame 10 equipped with a driving motor (not shown) disposed inside the frame 10, a feeding path 20, at least one paper feeding roller 23, a paper tray 201 and a scanning unit 30. An inside of the frame 10 defines an accommodating space 101. The driving motor is disposed in the accommodating space 101. The feeding path 20 is accommodated within the accommodating space 101 of the frame 10 to guide image media.

[0022]The feeding path 20 includes at least one paper inlet 21 and a paper outlet 22. The feeding path 20 includes a horizontal feeding path 20a penetrating through a front end and a rear end of the frame 10, a continuous feeding path 20b extending from a top end of the frame 10 to a middle of the horizontal feeding path 20a, two paper inlets 21 disposed at a top end of the continuous feeding path 20b and a front end of the horizontal feeding path 20a, and the paper outlet 22 disposed at a rear end of the horizontal feeding path 20a. The at least one paper feeding roller 23 is mounted to the feeding path 20, and the at least one paper feeding roller 23 is connected to the driving motor. Preferably, the scanning device 100 further includes a plurality of the paper feeding rollers 23. The plurality of the paper feeding rollers 23 are mounted to the feeding path 20, and the plurality of the paper feeding rollers 23 are connected to the driving motor to feed the image media. The scanning unit 30 is disposed to a top and a bottom of the feeding path 20 to read the image media. The paper tray 201 is disposed at the paper outlet 22 for temporarily storing the ejected image media.

[0023]In order to avoid different types of paper discharging errors being caused by a collision between the image media of the scanning device 100 and the paper tray 201 at the time of ejecting the image media, the scanning device 100 further includes the paper pushing mechanism 40 positioned next to the paper outlet 22. The paper pushing mechanism 40 is arranged to eject the image media from the paper outlet 22 at an upward elevation angle, travelling directions of the image media are parallel to the paper tray 201, so chances of the image media colliding with the paper tray 201 and chances of causing the paper discharging errors are reduced.

[0024]Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the paper pushing mechanism 40 is applied to the scanning device 100. The paper pushing mechanism 40 includes a first ejecting roller 24 disposed to the feeding path 20, a second ejecting roller 25 disposed to the feeding path 20, a swinging arm 41 disposed to the feeding path 20, a spring 44, a first pushing roller 45 pivotally connected to a swinging end 43 of the swinging arm 41, a second pushing roller 46 disposed to the feeding path 20, and a transmission mechanism 50 connected between the first ejecting roller 24 and the first pushing roller 45. The first ejecting roller 24 is disposed close to the paper outlet 22. The swinging arm 41 is disposed close to the paper outlet 22. The second ejecting roller 25 is disposed close to the paper outlet 22. The second pushing roller 46 is disposed near the paper outlet 22.

[0025]The first ejecting roller 24 is positioned at a lower side of the feeding path 20, and the first ejecting roller 24 is connected to the driving motor for ejecting the image media from the paper outlet 22. The second ejecting roller 25 is positioned at an upper side of the feeding path 20, and the second ejecting roller 25 abuts against the first ejecting roller 24. The swinging arm 41 is positioned to the lower side of the feeding path 20. The swinging arm 41 includes a connecting end 42 pivotally connected to the frame 10 of the scanning device 100, and the swinging end 43 extending towards the paper outlet 22. The connecting end 42 of the swinging arm 41 is coaxial with the first ejecting roller 24.

[0026]Two ends of the spring 44 are respectively connected to the scanning device 100 and the swinging arm 41. The two ends of the spring 44 are respectively connected with the frame 10 and the swinging arm 41, so the swinging end 43 is pushed towards the upper side of the feeding path 20. The spring 44 is a torsion spring. The spring 44 has a body portion 44a sleeved around a rotation shaft 241 of the first ejecting roller 24, a fixing end 44b extended outward from one end of the body portion 44a, and a force-applying end 44c extended outward from the other end of the body portion 44a. The fixing end 44b is fixed to the frame 10. The force-applying end 44c is fixed to the swinging arm 41. The second pushing roller 46 is positioned at the upper side of the feeding path 20. The second pushing roller 46 abuts against the first pushing roller 45 at the time of the swinging arm 41 swinging upward. The transmission mechanism 50 makes the first pushing roller 45 and the first ejecting roller 24 rotate in the same direction.

[0027]Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, preferably, the transmission mechanism 50 includes a driving gear 51 mounted to the rotation shaft 241 of the first ejecting roller 24, a driven gear 52 mounted to a transmission shaft 451 of the first pushing roller 45, and an intermediate gear 53 mounted to the swinging arm 41. The intermediate gear 53 is connected between the driving gear 51 and the driven gear 52. The driving gear 51, the driven gear 52 and the intermediate gear 53 are connected with one another, so that the first ejecting roller 24 and the first pushing roller 45 rotate in the same direction to feed the image media. Simultaneously, the spring 44 pushes the swinging end 43 of the swinging arm 41 upward, so the image media are fed out of the paper outlet 22 at an angle parallel to the paper tray 201.

[0028]Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 again, when the scanned image media are made of a material which is too thick or too hard to be bent, such as a thick paper or a booklet, etc. The image media are unbent due to an upward push of the swinging end 43. On the contrary, rigidities of the image media are larger, so when the image media are fed to pass through the first pushing roller 45, the swinging end 43 is pressed downward by the image media, the image media are fed horizontally to pass through the paper outlet 22.

[0029]As described above, the first pushing roller 45 in the paper pushing mechanism 40 is lifted upward by the swinging arm 41 which is able to swing, so that the image media are fed out of the paper outlet 22 at the angle roughly parallel to the paper tray 201. As a result, curling problems or speed lowering problems of the image media are effectively decreased after the image media collides with the paper tray 201, and the paper discharging errors are prevented.