Medium conveyance device

Abstract

Provided is a medium conveying apparatus to enable suitable feeding of a plurality of types of media. A medium conveying apparatus includes a guide member including an opening or a notch and configured to form a conveyance surface of a medium, a feed roller located inside the opening or the notch and configured to feed the medium, a separation roller located to face the feed roller, and protruding parts located on left and right sides of the separation roller relative to a medium conveying direction. The guide member includes recessed parts positioned on left and right sides of the feed roller relative to the medium conveying direction. The protruding parts are located at positions facing the opening or the notch, or the recessed parts in such a way that the medium is conveyed between the protruding parts and the recessed parts. A tip of each of the protruding parts is positioned on the feed roller side of a nip part of the feed roller and the separation roller.

1 . A medium conveying apparatus comprising:
 a feed roller to feed a medium;   a separation roller facing the feed roller, and to form a nip part with the feed roller for separating the medium;   a protruding part located on at least one side of left and right sides of the separation roller relative to a medium conveying direction, wherein   when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the medium conveying direction, at least a portion of the protruding part continuously overlaps with the nip part of the feed roller and the separation roller throughout feeding of the medium.   
     
     
         2 . The medium conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a press roller facing the feed roller and located upstream of the nip part in the medium conveying direction to press the medium fed by the feed roller toward the feed roller. 
     
     
         3 . The medium conveying apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the protruding part is configured to move in conjunction with the press roller. 
     
     
         4 . The medium conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a loading tray; and   a guide member, which is located at a first position where contact between the medium placed in the loading tray, and the feed roller and the press roller is restricted before medium feeding, and is located at a second position where contact between the medium placed in the loading tray, and the feed roller and the press roller is allowed at a time of medium feeding, wherein   the press roller is configured to come in contact with the medium placed in the loading tray before the feed roller comes in contact with the medium when an amount of medium placed in the loading tray is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount, and come in contact with the medium placed in the loading tray after the feed roller comes in contact with the medium when the amount of medium placed in the loading tray is less than the predetermined amount, at a time when the guide member moves from the first position to the second position.   
     
     
         5 . The medium conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a contact surface of at least one of the protruding parts coming in contact with the medium fed by the feed roller is R-shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The medium conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the protruding parts have elasticity. 
     
     
         7 . The medium conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a guide member including an opening, notch, or a recessed part and configured to form a conveyance surface of the medium, wherein the protruding parts are located at the positions facing the opening or the notch, or the recessed part in such a way that the medium is conveyed between the protruding parts and the opening or the notch, or the recessed part. 
     
     
         8 . The medium conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a flap;   a guide member movable between a first position and a second position; and   a loading tray for placing the medium to be fed by the feed roller; wherein   the guide member restricts contact between the medium placed on the loading tray and the feed roller when located at the first position, and allows contact between the medium placed in the loading tray and the feed roller when located at the second position, and   the flap is engaged with the guide member when the guide member is located at the first position to prevent the medium from entering the nip part.   
     
     
         9 . The medium conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the protruding parts are not swingable. 
     
     
         10 . A medium conveying apparatus comprising:
 a feed roller to feed a medium;   a separation roller facing the feed roller,   a protruding part located on at least one side of left and right sides of the separation roller relative to a medium conveying direction, wherein   at least a portion of the protruding part continuously contacts with the medium below the separation roller throughout feeding of the medium.   
     
     
         11 . A medium conveying apparatus comprising:
 a feed roller to feed a medium;   a separation roller facing the feed roller,   a protruding part located on at least one side of left and right sides of the separation roller relative to a medium conveying direction, to continuously contact with the medium below the separation roller throughout feeding of the medium.