Feeding device for sheet material and image recording apparatus for recording an image thereon

Abstract

A photographic printer carries paper sheets in two rows. A skew correcting unit is disposed at a passage of the paper sheets. The skew correcting unit comprises a pre-resist roller pair, a resist roller pair, carrying guides, and pressing mechanisms for moving the carrying guides in an approaching direction to the paper sheet and in a separating direction there from. When correcting the skew of the paper sheet, the pressing mechanism is actuated to move the carrying guide toward a deflection portion of the deflected paper sheet. In virtue of this, an anterior end of the paper sheet is pressed against the resist roller pair. Even if the paper sheet has stiffness, the skew thereof is quickly and accurately corrected.

1 . A feeding device for a sheet material, comprising: 
 a carrier for carrying said sheet material;    an abutting member disposed at a downstream side of said carrier in a carrying direction of said sheet material, a deflection portion of said sheet material being formed between said carrier and said abutting member by further carrying said sheet material after an anterior end of said sheet material has butted against said abutting member; and    a pressing mechanism for pushing said deflection portion of said sheet material, said pressing mechanism pressing the whole of said anterior end against said abutting member to correct a skew of said sheet material.    
     
     
         2 . A feeding device according to  claim 1 , wherein said abutting member is a feed roller pair for nipping and feeding said sheet material, and said anterior end of said sheet material butts against said feed roller pair of a stop state.  
     
     
         3 . A feeding device according to  claim 2 , wherein said pressing mechanism includes at least one pushing member for abutting on and pushing said deflection portion.  
     
     
         4 . A feeding device according to  claim 3 , wherein said carrier and said feed roller pair carry a plurality of said sheet materials in parallel, and said pushing members are disposed so as to correspond to the respective sheet materials carried in parallel.  
     
     
         5 . A feeding device according to  claim 3 , wherein said pressing mechanism pushes the sole sheet material by using a plurality of said pushing members when said sheet materials are carried in a single row so as to overlap with the pushing members.  
     
     
         6 . A feeding device according to  claim 3 , wherein said carrier and said abutting member are disposed at a curved passage of said sheet material, and a carrying guide for guiding said sheet material, which is carried by said carrier, to said abutting member is used as said pushing member.  
     
     
         7 . A feeding device according to  claim 6 , wherein a surface of said carrying guide confronting said sheet material is formed with a plurality of ribs for reducing a contact area of said carrying guide and said sheet material.  
     
     
         8 . A feeding device according to  claim 1 , wherein said abutting member is an abutting guide removably disposed at a passage of said sheet material.  
     
     
         9 . A feeding device according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a feed roller pair disposed between said carrier and said abutting guide to nip and feed said sheet material, said feed roller pair being switchable between a nip state for nipping and feeding said sheet material, and a release state for releasing a nip of said sheet material,    wherein said feed roller pair is changed from said nip state to said release state when said anterior end of said sheet material butts against said abutting guide.    
     
     
         10 . A feeding device according to  claim 9 , wherein said pressing mechanism includes at least one pushing member for abutting on and pushing said deflection portion.  
     
     
         11 . A feeding device according to  claim 10 , wherein said carrier and said feed roller pair carry a plurality of said sheet materials in parallel, and said pushing members are disposed so as to correspond to the respective sheet materials carried in parallel.  
     
     
         12 . A feeding device according to  claim 10 , wherein said pressing mechanism pushes the sole sheet material by using a plurality of said pushing members when said sheet materials are carried in a single row so as to overlap with the pushing members.  
     
     
         13 . A feeding device according to  claim 10 , wherein said carrier and said abutting member are disposed at a curved passage of said sheet material, and a carrying guide for guiding said sheet material, which is carried by said carrier, to said abutting member is used as said pushing member.  
     
     
         14 . A feeding device according to  claim 13 , wherein a surface of said carrying guide confronting said sheet material is formed with a plurality of ribs for reducing a contact area of said carrying guide and said sheet material.  
     
     
         15 . An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet-shaped recording material, said image recording apparatus comprising: 
 a carrier for carrying said recording material;    an abutting member disposed at a downstream side of said carrier in a carrying direction of said recording material, a deflection portion of said recording material being formed between said carrier and said abutting member by further carrying said recording material after an anterior end of said recording material has butted against said abutting member; and    a pressing mechanism for pushing said deflection portion of said recording material, said pressing mechanism pressing the whole of said anterior end against said abutting member to correct a skew of said recording material.    
     
     
         16 . An image recording apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said abutting member is a feed roller pair for nipping and feeding said recording material, and said anterior end of said recording material butts against said feed roller pair of a stop state.  
     
     
         17 . An image recording apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said pressing mechanism includes at least one pushing member for abutting on and pushing said deflection portion.  
     
     
         18 . An image recording apparatus according to claim  17 , wherein said carrier and said feed roller pair carry a plurality of said recording materials in parallel, and said pushing members are disposed so as to correspond to the respective recording materials carried in parallel.  
     
     
         19 . An image recording apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said pressing mechanism pushes the sole recording material by using a plurality of said pushing members when said recording materials are carried in a single row so as to overlap with the pushing members.  
     
     
         20 . An image recording apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said carrier and said abutting member are disposed at a curved passage of said recording material, and a carrying guide for guiding said recording material, which is carried by said carrier, to said abutting member is used as said pushing member.  
     
     
         21 . An image recording apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein a surface of said carrying guide confronting said recording material is formed with a plurality of ribs for reducing a contact area of said carrying guide and said recording material.  
     
     
         22 . An image recording apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said abutting member is an abutting guide removably disposed at a passage of said recording material.  
     
     
         23 . An image recording apparatus according to  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 a feed roller pair disposed between said carrier and said abutting guide to nip and feed said recording material, said feed roller pair being switchable between a nip state for nipping and feeding said recording material, and a release state for releasing a nip of said recording material,    wherein said feed roller pair is changed from said nip state to said release state when said anterior end of said recording material butts against said abutting guide.    
     
     
         24 . An image recording apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said pressing mechanism includes at least one pushing member for abutting on and pushing said deflection portion.  
     
     
         25 . An image recording apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein said carrier and said feed roller pair carry a plurality of said recording materials in parallel, and said pushing members are disposed so as to correspond to the respective recording materials carried in parallel.  
     
     
         26 . An image recording apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein said pressing mechanism pushes the sole recording material by using a plurality of said pushing members when said recording materials are carried in a single row so as to overlap with the pushing members.  
     
     
         27 . An image recoding apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein said carrier and said abutting member are disposed at a curved passage of said recording material, and a carrying guide for guiding said recording material, which is carried by said carrier, to said abutting member is used as said pushing member.  
     
     
         28 . An image recording apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein a surface of said carrying guide confronting said recording material is formed with a plurality of ribs for reducing a contact area of said carrying guide and said recording material.