초록 ▼

A sheet feed roller 10 includes a shaft member 12 and an elastomeric layer 14 provided on the outer circumference of the shaft member 12. The shaft member 12 includes a tubular support 16 and a pair of shaft sections 18 extending in the axial direction to define a rotary axis of the shaft member 12.

A sheet feed roller 10 includes a shaft member 12 and an elastomeric layer 14 provided on the outer circumference of the shaft member 12. The shaft member 12 includes a tubular support 16 and a pair of shaft sections 18 extending in the axial direction to define a rotary axis of the shaft member 12. The elastomeric layer 14 is formed of an elastic member separate from the shaft member 12, and attached to the outer circumference 16a to be conformed with the profile of the support 16 of the shaft member 12. The elastomeric layer 14 includes a base 20 and a plurality of micro-structured elements 22, each having a three-dimensionally projected shape, formed on the surface 20a of the base 20. Each of the plurality of micro-structured elements 22 on the elastomeric layer 14 is brought into frictional contact at a distal end thereof with the sheet medium and feed the same as the shaft member rotates.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A sheet feed apparatus with an elastomeric layer formed on a surface of a non-cylindrical support body which is rotatable about a rotary axis, characterized in that:said surface of said support body includes a main area arcuately extending over a desired center angle about said rotary axis and at

1. A sheet feed apparatus with an elastomeric layer formed on a surface of a non-cylindrical support body which is rotatable about a rotary axis, characterized in that:said surface of said support body includes a main area arcuately extending over a desired center angle about said rotary axis and at least one auxiliary area extending inside an imaginary cylindrical surface containing said main area to be joined to said main area; said elastomeric layer comprises a base and a plurality of micro-structured elements formed on a surface of said base, each micro-structured element having a three-dimensionally projecting shape and being formed integrally with said base with a mutually identical elastic material; and that each micro-structured element is adapted to come into frictional contact at a distal end thereof with a sheet material to feed the sheet material by a rotation of said support body about said rotary axis. 2. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said plurality of micro-structured elements are provided on said surface of said support body in a spatial arrangement density of at least 15.5 stems/cm2; and wherein said each micro-structured element has a height H of 0.254 mm to 1.27 mm as well as a maximum transverse dimension D of 0.076 mm to 0.76 mm under an aspect ration H/D?1.25.3. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein each micro-structured element includes a columnar or pyramidal stem and a spherical, hemispherical or disk-like head integrally formed at a distal end of said stem.4. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said support body includes a tubular support having an outer circumference defining said surface of said support body and a shaft section extending axially from said tubular support to define said rotary axis; and wherein said elastomeric layer is formed of an elastic member fitted to said outer circumference of said tubular support in such a manner as to conform with a profile of said outer circumference.5. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 4, wherein said elastic member is provided with said plurality of micro-structured elements at least at a position corresponding to said main area of said surface of said support body.6. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 4, wherein said elastic member is of a plate-like member adhered to said outer circumference of said tubular support through an adhesive layer; and wherein a marginal edge of said elastic member is located at a position corresponding to said at least one auxiliary area of said surface of said support body.7. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 4, wherein said elastic member is of a seamless hollow cylindrical member fixedly attached to said outer circumference of said tubular support by a friction force and an elastic recovery force of said elastic member.8. A sheet separating assembly comprising a sheet feed roller with an elastomeric layer formed on an outer circumference of a shaft member, and a sheet separating member, characterized in that:said sheet separating member has an elastomeric layer formed on a surface of a supporting body; each of said elastomeric layer of said sheet feed roller and said elastomeric layer of said sheet separating member comprises a base and a plurality of micro-structured elements formed on a surface of said base, each micro-structured element having a three-dimensionally projecting shape and being formed integrally with said base with a mutually identical elastic material; each micro-structured element of said elastomeric layer on said outer circumference of said shaft member is adapted to come into frictional contact at a distal end thereof with a sheet material to feed the sheet material in a desired direction by a rotation of said shaft member; and that each micro-structured element of said elastomeric layer on said surface of said supporting body is adapted to come into frictional contact at a distal end thereof with a sheet material moving in the desired direction to brake the movement of the sheet material. 9. A sheet separating member with an elastomeric layer formed on a surface of a supporting body, characterized in that:said elastomeric layer comprises a base and a plurality of micro-structured elements formed on a surface of said base, each micro-structured element having a three-dimensionally projecting shape and being formed integrally with said base with a mutually identical elastic material; and that each micro-structured element is adapted to come into frictional contact at a distal end thereof with a sheet material moving in a desired direction relative to said elastomeric layer to brake the sheet material. 10. A sheet feed assembly comprising a sheet support base, a sheet feed apparatus for feeding a plurality of sheet materials stacked on said sheet support base, and a sheet separating member for cooperating with said sheet feed apparatus to feed the sheet materials in a one-by-one separated manner, characterized in that:said sheet separating member comprises a sheet separating member as defined by claim 9. 11. A sheet separating member as defined by claim 9, wherein said plurality of micro-structured elements are provided on said surface of said base in a spatial arrangement density of at least 15.5 stems/cm2, and wherein said each micro-structured element has a height H of 0.254 mm to 1.27 mm as well as a maximum transverse dimension D of 0.076 mm to 0.76 mm under an aspect ratio H/D?1.25.12. A sheet separating member as defined by claim 9, wherein each micro-structured element includes a columnar or pyramidal stem and a spherical, hemispherical or disk-like head integrally formed at a distal end of said stem.13. A sheet separating member as defined by claim 9, wherein each micro-structured element has a cylindrical or truncated-conical shape.14. A sheet feed apparatus adapted to cooperate with a sheet separating member to feed a plurality of sheet materials in a one-by-one separated manner, characterized in that:said apparatus comprises an elastomeric layer performing a sheet feeding motion; said elastomeric layer comprises a base and a plurality of micro-structured elements formed on a surface of said base, each micro-structured element having a three-dimensionally projecting shape and being formed integrally with said base with a mutually identical elastic material; and that each micro-structured element is adapted to come into frictional contact at a distal end thereof with a sheet material to feed the sheet material by said sheet feeding motion. 15. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 14, wherein said plurality of micro-structured elements are provided on said surface of said base in a spatial arrangement density of at least 15.5 stems/cm2; and wherein said each micro-structured element has a height H of 0.254 mm to 1.27 mm as well as a maximum transverse dimension D of 0.076 mm to 0.76 mm under an aspect ratio H/D?1.25.16. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 14, wherein each micro-structured element has a cylindrical or truncated-conical shape.17. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 14, wherein each micro-structured element includes a columnar or pyramidal stem and a spherical, hemispherical or disk-like head integrally formed at a distal end of said stem.18. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 14, further comprising a shaft member rotatable about a rotary axis, said elastomeric layer being formed on an outer circumference of said shaft member; wherein said shaft member includes a tubular support having said outer circumference and a shaft section extending axially from said tubular support to define said rotary axis; and wherein said elastomeric layer is formed of an elastic member fitted to said outer circumference of said tubular support in such a manner as to conform with a profile of said outer circumference.19. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 18, wherein said outer circumference of said tubular support includes a main area arcuately extending over a desired center angle about said rotary axis and at least one auxiliary area extending inside an imaginary cylindrical surface containing said main area to be joined to said main area; and wherein said elastic member is provided with said plurality of micro-structured elements at least at a position corresponding to said main area of said outer circumference of said tubular support.20. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 19, wherein said elastic member is of a plate-like member adhered to said outer circumference of said tubular support through an adhesive layer; and wherein a marginal edge of said elastic member is located at a position corresponding to said at least one auxiliary area of said outer circumference.21. A sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 18, wherein said elastic member is of a seamless hollow cylindrical member fixedly attached to said outer circumference of said tubular support by a friction force and an elastic recovery force of said elastic member.22. A sheet feed assembly comprising a sheet support base and a sheet feed apparatus for feeding a plurality of sheet materials stacked on said sheet support base, characterized in that:said sheet feed apparatus comprises a sheet feed apparatus as defined by claim 14.