JP2000037925A - Attachment of image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable stable movement of an attachment by providing a caster- supporting member drawably at the opposite side (front side) with respect to the side facing to an image forming device main body, provided in the device main body, and overturning-prevention casters at the lower end thereof. SOLUTION: An attachment 8 comprises a paper processing device 10 and a table device 20 for placing the same, to be disposed on the floor. The table device 20 comprises a box-like device main body 21, with a caster-supporting member 24 provided drawably at the front side thereof. Guided rails 25 are fitted to both side frame members 241a, 241b of a lower frame 241 constituting the caster supporting member 24, respectively, and guiding rails elongating in the front and rear direction are mounted to the inner side of the lower end portion of both side walls comprising the device main body 21, respectively. By fitting the guided rails 25 slidably, the caster supporting member 24 with overturning prevention casters 27 mounted at the front end portions can be drawn to the opposite side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an auxiliary device of an image forming machine such as a copying machine or a printer, and more particularly, to an image forming machine main body which is installed so as to face a sheet discharge side of the main body. The present invention relates to an auxiliary device such as a paper post-processing device that performs post-processing such as stapling and punching on ejected paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in an image forming machine, post-processing such as staple processing and punching processing is performed on a sheet on which a document image is transferred for each copy corresponding to the number of documents.
A paper post-processing apparatus for discharging paper onto a stack tray has been proposed, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-238604. This sheet post-processing apparatus is generally manufactured separately and independently of the image forming apparatus, and is used by being connected to a side surface of the image forming apparatus main body on the sheet discharge side as an auxiliary device. This accessory has a transfer caster mounted on the lower surface to facilitate its movement.

[0003]

However, the installation area of the sheet post-processing apparatus connected to the side of the image forming machine on the sheet discharge side and the attachment device such as a desk on which the sheet post-processing apparatus is mounted is small.
Therefore, since the interval between mounting the moving casters is shortened, there is a risk that the auxiliary device may fall when the auxiliary device is separated from the main body of the image forming apparatus in the case of jam clearance or maintenance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has a technical problem in that, when the accessory device is separated from the image forming apparatus main body, a caster for preventing a fall is pulled out to attach the accessory device. An object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary device of an image forming machine that is stabilized.

[0005]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned technical object, a moving caster is provided at the lower end of the apparatus main body, which is installed so as to face the sheet discharge side of the image forming apparatus main body. A caster supporting member disposed on the apparatus main body and configured to be able to be pulled out to a side opposite to a side facing the image forming apparatus main body; Provided with a fall prevention caster attached to a lower end of the image forming apparatus.

It is desirable that a handle for pulling out the caster support member from the apparatus main body is mounted on the caster support member. The auxiliary device includes an auxiliary caster support member disposed on the apparatus main body and configured to be able to be pulled out to a side facing the image forming apparatus main body, and an auxiliary caster for preventing falling attached to a lower end of the caster support member. are doing. It is desirable that the fall prevention auxiliary caster has a lock mechanism for selectively restricting rotation. The accessory device is a table device on which a sheet post-processing device for performing post-processing on a sheet carried in from the image forming machine main body is placed.

[0007]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an accessory device constructed according to the present invention. 2 to 4 are schematic configuration diagrams of an image forming machine equipped with the attachment device shown in FIG. The image forming machine 2 in the illustrated embodiment is an electrostatic copying machine, and includes a copying machine main body 4, a circulating automatic document feeder 6 mounted on an upper surface of the copying machine main body 4, and a copying machine main body 4. And an attachment device 8 disposed on the paper discharge side of the printer.
The copying machine body 4 has a well-known copying function, and exposes a photoconductor drum disposed in the copying machine body 4 and an original positioned at an exposure position defined on the upper surface of the copying machine body 4 to expose the original. Exposure device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of photoreceptor drum, developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor drum by the exposure device into a toner image, toner developed by the developing device A transfer device that transfers an image to a sheet at a transfer unit, a fixing device that fixes a toner image transferred to the sheet by the transfer device, a sheet supply device that supplies a sheet to the transfer unit, and a sheet that is transferred through the fixing device It is equipped with a paper transport device for discharging. The circulating automatic document feeder 6 may be of a known type, and sequentially transports a plurality of documents to an exposure position defined on the upper surface of the copying machine main body 4.

In the illustrated embodiment, the attachment device 8 comprises a sheet post-processing device 10 and a table device 20 on which the sheet post-processing device 10 is placed and which is installed on the floor. The sheet post-processing apparatus 10 includes a rectangular parallelepiped apparatus main body 11, in which a post-processing mechanism such as a staple processing mechanism or a punch processing mechanism is disposed.
The apparatus main body 11 of the sheet post-processing apparatus 10 includes a sheet carry-in port 111 provided on one side and a sheet discharge port 1 provided on the other side.
The paper carrying port 111 is provided so as to face the paper discharging port 41 of the copying machine body 4. The sheet post-processing device 10 carries in a sheet formed with an image in the copying machine main body 4 and discharged from a sheet discharge port 41 through a sheet carry-in port 111, and performs post-processing such as stapling and punching by a post-processing mechanism (not shown). After applying, the paper outlet 11
2 to a stack tray 12 provided on the other side of the apparatus main body 11.

Next, the table device 20 will be described with reference to FIG. The table device 20 is configured in a box shape and includes a device main body 21. Device body 200
Has a bottom wall 211, an upper wall 212, both side walls 213, 314, and a rear wall 215, and has a front side (lower left side in FIG. 1).
That is, the side opposite to the side facing the copying machine main body 4 is open. On four corners of the lower surface of the bottom wall 211, there are casters 2 for movement.
2 are mounted respectively. The sheet post-processing apparatus 10 is mounted on the upper surface of the upper wall 212 of the apparatus main body 21 configured as described above.

The apparatus main body 21 is provided with a caster support member 24 that can be pulled out to the front side, that is, the side opposite to the side facing the copying machine main body 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the caster support member 24 is a frame member 241 on both sides.
a, 241b, and a lower frame 241 formed by the rear frame 241c, both-side frames 242a, 242b, and the front frame 24.
Upper frame 242 formed by 2c and rear frame member 242d
And a frame member 243 connecting the lower frame 241 and the upper frame 242
a and 243b. Lower frame 24 constituting caster support member 24
Guided rails 25 are mounted on the outer surfaces of the two side frame members 241a and 241b by appropriate fixing means (FIG. 1 shows only the guided rail 25 mounted on the side frame member 241a). There). In relation to the guided rail 25, both side walls 213 constituting the device main body 21;
Guide rails 26 extending in the front-rear direction are respectively mounted on the inner surface of the lower end of 314 by appropriate fixing means (only the guide rail 26 mounted on the side wall 213 is shown in FIG. 1). When the guided rail 25 is slidably fitted to the guide rail 26, the caster support member 24 can be pulled out to the front side, that is, the side opposite to the side facing the copying machine main body 4. The guide rail 26 and the guided rail 25 are connected to the caster support member 24 by the device body 21.
A stopper mechanism (not shown) is provided for restricting the relative movement of the two at a position (the position shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) which is pulled out by a predetermined amount from. The frame members 241 on both sides of the lower frame 241 constituting the caster support member 24 thus configured
Each of a and 241b is provided with a fall prevention caster 27 at its front end. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper frame 2 constituting the caster support member 24 is provided.
A handle 28 for moving the apparatus main body 21 in a direction away from the copying machine main body 4 is attached to the front surface of the front frame member 242c by an appropriate fixing means.

The accessory device of the image forming machine in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is configured as described above, and the attachment / detachment operation will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG.
Shows a state in which a table device 20 as an accessory device and a sheet post-processing device 10 mounted on the table device 20 are connected to and installed in a copying machine main body 4 of an electrostatic copying machine 2 as an image forming machine. It shows. In this state, the sheet carrying-in port 111 of the sheet post-processing apparatus 10 is disposed so as to face the sheet discharge port 41 of the copying machine main body 4, and the caster support member 24 of the table device 20 is connected to the apparatus main body 21.
Is housed inside. Table device 20 shown in FIG. 2 and sheet post-processing device 1 mounted on table device 20
In a state where the image forming apparatus 0 is connected to the copying machine main body 4, the electrostatic copying machine 2 as an image forming machine is used to perform an image forming operation.

Next, from the state shown in FIG. 2, a table device 20 as an accessory device and a sheet post-processing device 10 mounted on the table device 20 are transferred to a copying machine of an electrostatic copying machine 2 as an image forming machine. The operation of separating from the main body 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. When separating the attached device, first, grip the handle 28 attached to the upper frame 242 constituting the caster support member 24 of the table device 20 and pull it to the left in the drawing.
4 is pulled out to the left in FIG. 3, that is, the side opposite to the side facing the copying machine main body 4. At this time, the caster support member 2
4. Both side frame members 241a and 241b of the lower frame 241 constituting
Is guided along the guide rails 26 mounted on both side walls 213 and 314 constituting the apparatus main body 21. When the caster support member 24 reaches a position (the position shown in FIG. 3) where the caster support member 24 is pulled out from the apparatus main body 21, a relative movement between the guide rail 26 and the guided rail 25 is achieved by a stopper mechanism (not shown). Therefore, the relative movement between the caster support member 24 and the apparatus body 21 is restricted. As a result, the fall prevention casters 27 attached to the front ends (left ends in FIG. 3) of the both side frame members 241a and 241b of the lower frame 241 constituting the caster support member 24 are moved forward of the moving casters 22 (FIG. 3). In this case, since the casters are grounded to the left), the distance between the casters to be grounded in the front-rear direction is increased, so that the stability is increased.

As shown in FIG. 3, the caster support member 2
4 is pulled out to the side opposite to the side facing the copying machine main body 4, the handle 28 is gripped and further pulled to the left in the figure.
As shown in FIG. 4, the caster support member 24 and the device body 2
1 are integrally moved to the left, that is, the side opposite to the side facing the copying machine body 4. At this time, as described above, since the fall prevention casters 27 are in contact with the front of the moving casters 22 (to the left in FIGS. 3 and 4), they can move stably, and the table device 20 and the sheet post-processing There is no risk of the device 10 falling over. In this manner, the table device 20 as an accessory device and the sheet post-processing device 10 placed on the table device 20 are arranged as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the electrostatic copying machine 2 as an image forming machine is separated from the copying machine main body 4. In this state, jam clearance or maintenance is performed.

Next, another embodiment of the attachment device constructed according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the attachment device configured according to the present invention. 6 to 9 are schematic structural views of an image forming machine equipped with the attachment device shown in FIG. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, the apparatus main body 21 constituting the table apparatus 20 and the sheet post-processing apparatus 10 mounted on the apparatus main body 21 are substantially the same as the embodiment shown in FIG. Therefore, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, the caster support member 34 which can be pulled out to the front side of the apparatus main body 21, that is, the side opposite to the side facing the copying machine main body 4, is a frame on both sides in the illustrated embodiment. Lumber 34
1a, 341b, front frame member 341c, and rear frame member 341d
And upper frame member 342 formed by
a, 342b and a lower frame 342c connecting the lower ends of the frame members 342a, 342b.
2, both side frame members 342a forming the front frame 342,
The upper end of 342b constitutes the upper frame 341.
It is attached to the joint between the front frame member 341c and the front frame member 341c by an appropriate fixing means. Guided rails 35 are mounted on the outer surfaces of both side frame members 341a and 341b constituting the upper frame 341 by appropriate fixing means (in FIG. 5, only the guided rail 35 mounted on the side frame member 341a). It is shown). In relation to the guided rail 35, both side walls 213 and 3 constituting the apparatus main body 21 are provided.
Guide rails 36 extending in the front-rear direction are attached to the inner surface of the upper end portion of each of the members 14 by appropriate fixing means (FIG. 5).
Shows only the guide rail 36 mounted on the side wall 213). The guided rail 3 is attached to the guided rail 36.
By slidably fitting 5, caster support member 34 can be pulled out to the front side, that is, the side opposite to the side facing copying machine body 4. The guide rail 36 and the guided rail 35 are provided with a stopper mechanism (not shown) for regulating the relative movement of the caster support member 34 at a position where the caster support member 34 is pulled out from the apparatus main body 21 by a predetermined amount (the position shown in FIG. 7). ing. The caster support member 3 thus configured
4, the frame members 341a, 341b on both sides of the front frame 341
Is provided with a fall prevention caster 37 at the lower end thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the front frame member 3 of the upper frame 342 constituting the caster support member 34
A handle 38 for moving the apparatus main body 21 in a direction away from the copying machine main body 4 is attached to the front surface of the handle 42c by an appropriate fixing means.

The table device 20 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 includes an auxiliary caster support member 44 which is provided on the rear side of the apparatus main body, that is, on the side facing the copying machine main body 4 so as to be able to be pulled out. The auxiliary caster support member 44
In the illustrated embodiment, both side frame members 441a, 441 are provided.
b and the auxiliary frame 441 formed by the front frame member 341c
Is provided. Guided rails 45 are attached to the outer surfaces of both side frame members 441a and 441b constituting the auxiliary frame 441 by appropriate fixing means (the guided rail 35 attached to the side frame member 441a in FIG. 5). Only shown). In relation to the guided rail 35, guide rails 46 extending in the front-rear direction are respectively mounted on inner surfaces of lower ends of both side walls 213 and 314 constituting the apparatus main body 21 by appropriate fixing means. When the guided rail 45 is slidably fitted to the guide rail 46, the auxiliary caster support member 44 can be pulled out to the rear side, that is, the side facing the copying machine main body 4. The guide rail 46 and the guided rail 45 are provided with a stopper mechanism (not shown) for regulating the relative movement of the auxiliary caster support member 44 at a position where the auxiliary caster support member 44 is pulled out from the apparatus main body 21 by a predetermined amount (the position shown in FIG. 8). Have been. The auxiliary frame 4 constituting the auxiliary caster support member 44 thus configured
The two side frame members 441a and 441b are provided with fall-prevention auxiliary casters 47 at their rear ends, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the fall-prevention auxiliary caster 47 includes a lock mechanism 471. The rotation is restricted by locking the lock mechanism 471, and the rotation is controlled by unlocking the lock mechanism 471. Permissible. The caster provided with the lock mechanism may be a commonly used caster with a lock mechanism.

The accessory device of the image forming machine in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 is configured as described above, and the attachment / detachment operation will be described below. FIG. 6 shows a table device 20 as an accessory device and a sheet post-processing device 10 mounted on the table device 20 connected to the copying machine main body 4 of the electrostatic copying machine 2 as an image forming machine and grounded. It shows the state where it was turned on. In this state, the sheet carry-in port 111 of the sheet post-processing device 10 is
1 and the caster support member 34 and the auxiliary caster support member 44 of the table device 20.
Are stored in the apparatus main body 21. With the table apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 6 and the sheet post-processing apparatus 10 mounted on the table apparatus 20 connected to the copier body 4, the electrostatic copying machine 2 as an image forming machine is used to perform an image forming operation. Is performed.

Next, from the state shown in FIG. 6, the table device 20 as an accessory device and the sheet post-processing device 10 mounted on the table device 20 are transferred to the copying machine of the electrostatic copying machine 2 as an image forming machine. The operation of separating from the main body 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. When separating the attached device, first, the grip 38 attached to the upper frame 342 constituting the caster support member 34 of the table device 20 is gripped and pulled to the left in the drawing.
Is drawn out to the left, that is, the side opposite to the side facing the copying machine main body 4 as shown in FIG. At this time, both side frame members 341a, 341 of the upper frame 341 constituting the caster support member 34
The guide rail 36 attached to both side walls 313 and 314 constituting the apparatus main body 21 is the guided rail 35 attached to the
You will be guided along. Then, the caster support member 34
When a predetermined distance is reached from the apparatus main body 21 (position shown in FIG. 7), the relative movement between the guide rail 36 and the guided rail 35 is restricted by stopper mechanisms (not shown) provided on the guide rail 36 and the guided rail 35. The relative movement between the caster support member 24 and the apparatus main body 21 is restricted.

Next, when the handle 38 is gripped from the state shown in FIG. 7 and further pulled to the left in the figure, the caster support member 34 and the apparatus main body 21 are integrated into the left side, that is, copied as shown in FIG. It is moved to the side opposite to the side facing machine body 4. At this time, the fall prevention auxiliary casters 47
The lock mechanism 471 is locked, so that the auxiliary caster support member 44 is relatively pulled out to the side facing the copying machine main body 4 as the apparatus main body 21 moves.
When the auxiliary caster support member 44 is pulled out, both side frame members 4 constituting the auxiliary caster support member 44
Guided rails 45 mounted on 41a, 441b are guided along guide rails 46 mounted on both side walls 313, 314 constituting apparatus body 21. When the auxiliary caster support member 44 reaches a position where the auxiliary caster support member 44 is pulled out from the apparatus main body 21 by a predetermined amount (the position shown in FIG. 8), a stopper mechanism (not shown) provided on the guide rail 46 and the guided rail 45 causes the relative movement between the two. Movement is restricted, and therefore, relative movement between the auxiliary caster support member 44 and the apparatus main body 21 is restricted. As a result, the caster support member 3
4, both side frame members 341a and 341b of the front frame 342
The fall-prevention casters 37 attached to the lower end of the vehicle are grounded in front of the moving casters 22 (left side in FIG. 8), and are attached to the rear ends of both side frame members 441a and 441b constituting the auxiliary caster support member 44. Since the fall-prevention auxiliary casters 47 contact the rear of the moving casters 22 (to the right in FIG. 8), the mounting intervals of the casters to be contacted in the front-rear direction are further increased as compared with the embodiments shown in FIGS. To increase the stability.

As shown in FIG. 8, the caster support member 3
4 and the auxiliary caster support member 44 are pulled out, the handle 38 is gripped and further pulled to the left in the drawing.
As shown in FIG. 9, the caster support member 34 and the apparatus main body 2
1 and the auxiliary caster support member 44 are integrally moved to the left, that is, the side opposite to the side facing the copying machine main body 4. At this time, as described above, the fall-prevention casters 27 contact the front of the moving casters 22 (left side in FIG. 9), and the fall-prevention casters 4
7 is behind the moving casters 22 (right side in FIG. 9).
, So that the table device 20 and the sheet post-processing device 10 do not fall over. Thus, the table device 2 as an accessory device
The sheet post-processing apparatus 10 mounted on the table apparatus 20 is separated from the copying machine main body 4 of the electrostatic copying machine 2 as an image forming machine as shown in FIG.

Although the present invention has been described based on the illustrated embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment described above, an example in which the present invention is applied to the table device 20 on which the sheet post-processing device 10 is mounted has been described. However, in the case where the sheet post-processing device 10 is large and is directly installed on the floor, The present invention can be applied to a sheet post-processing apparatus, and these modifications are also included in the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

[0022]

The accessory of the image forming machine according to the present invention is constructed as described above, and has the following operation and effect.

That is, according to the present invention, the attachment device installed opposite to the side of the paper discharge side of the image forming machine main body is disposed on the apparatus main body and opposite to the side facing the image forming machine main body. Since the caster support member is configured to be able to be pulled out, and the caster for fall prevention is mounted on the lower end of the caster support member, the caster for fall prevention is pulled out of the caster support member so that the caster for fall prevention is moved forward of the caster for movement. Since the casters are grounded, the distance between the casters to be grounded in the front-rear direction is increased. Therefore, the attached device can be moved stably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an accessory device of an image forming machine configured according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming machine equipped with the attachment device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a process of separating an attached device from an image forming machine main body in the image forming machine of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a state in which an accessory device is separated from an image forming machine main body in the image forming machine of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the attached device of the image forming machine constituted according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming machine equipped with the attachment device of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a first process of separating an attached device from the image forming machine main body in the image forming machine of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a second process of separating the attachment device from the image forming machine main body in the image forming machine of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a state in which an accessory device is separated from an image forming machine main body in the image forming machine of FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 2: Image forming machine (electrostatic copying machine) 4: Copy machine main body 6: Automatic document feeder 8: Attached device 10: Paper post-processing device 11: Device main body of paper post-processing device 111: Paper carry-in port 112: Paper discharge Exit 12: Stack tray 20: Table device 21: Device body of table device 211: Bottom wall of device body 212: Top wall of device body 213: Side wall of device body 214: Side wall of device body 215: Rear wall of device body 22 : Caster for movement 24: Caster support member 241: Lower frame of caster support member 242: Upper frame of caster support member 243: Connection frame of caster support member 25: Guided rail 26: Guide rail 27: Fall prevention caster 28: Handle 34: Caster support member 341: Upper frame of caster support member 342: Front frame of caster support member 35: Draft Inner rail 36: Guide rail 37: Overturn prevention caster 38: Handle 44: Auxiliary caster support member 441: Auxiliary frame of caster support member 45: Guided rail 46: Guide rail 47: Overturn prevention caster 471: Overturn prevention caster Lock mechanism

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C061 BB17 DE05 2H071 AA35 AA38 AA39 AA57 4E360 AB18 AB22 AB23 AB24 AC14 AC15 AC17 EA22 EC02 EC13 GA03 GA47 GB48

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An auxiliary device for an image forming machine, which is provided to face a side of a paper discharge side of the main body of the image forming machine and has a moving caster at a lower end of the main body, wherein the auxiliary device is disposed on the main body of the image forming machine. A caster support member provided so as to be able to be pulled out to a side opposite to the side facing the image forming machine main body, and a fall prevention caster mounted at the lower end of the caster support member. Attached device of the image forming machine. 2. The auxiliary device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a handle for moving the apparatus main body in a direction away from the image forming apparatus main body is attached to the caster support member. 3. An auxiliary caster supporting member disposed on the main body of the apparatus, the auxiliary caster supporting member being configured to be able to be pulled out on a side facing the main body of the image forming apparatus, and a fallover mounted on a lower end of the caster supporting member. The auxiliary device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary caster for prevention. 4. The auxiliary device for an image forming machine according to claim 2, wherein said fall prevention auxiliary caster has a lock mechanism for selectively restricting rotation. 5. The auxiliary device for an image forming machine according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary device is a table device on which a paper post-processing device for performing post-processing on paper conveyed from said image forming machine main body is mounted.