JP2001063898A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To heighten the visibility of a sheet discharged to a space part and to easily take out the sheet in an image forming device constituted to discharge the image-formed sheet to the space part provided between an image reading part and an image forming part. SOLUTION: This image forming device has a scanner part 2 and an image forming part 4 for forming an image on a sheet on the basis of image information of a document read by the scanner part 2, and discharges the sheet with the image formed by the image forming part 4, to a space part provided between the scanner part 2 and the image forming part 4. The space part is provided with a tray 25 for storing the discharged sheet, and the tray 25 is inclined to be low on the sheet discharge direction tip side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, etc., which has a space for discharging a sheet on which an image is formed between a document reading section and an image forming section. The present invention relates to a characteristic device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG.
An image reading unit 200 for reading an image of a document as in the image forming apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-207210.
A space 300 is provided between the image forming unit 100 and the image forming unit 100 provided thereunder.
An image forming apparatus of a type provided with a paper discharge unit 400 for discharging a sheet on which an image is formed has been devised.

A sheet fed from a paper feed cassette 50 provided below the image forming unit 100 is
After the image is formed at 0, the sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge unit 400 by the discharge roller 401.

[0004] As described above, the paper ejection tray, which conventionally protrudes to the side of the apparatus, is moved to the image forming unit 100 and the image reading unit 20.
By keeping it within the occupation area of 0, it has greatly contributed to downsizing of the image forming apparatus.

[0005]

However, the above-described image forming apparatus has the following problems.

Conventionally, sheets are discharged to a paper discharge tray protruding to the side of the apparatus. Therefore, it is easy to check whether a sheet is present on the paper discharge tray or to take out the sheet from the paper discharge tray. there were.

However, in the image forming apparatus shown in the drawing having an image reading section above the paper discharge tray, the image reading section located on the paper discharge tray covers the paper discharge tray in order to reduce the installation space. This makes it difficult to check for the presence or absence of a sheet on the discharge tray.

In addition, the space between the sheet discharge tray and the image reading section has become narrow, and it has been difficult to say that the operability of taking out sheets is good.

That is, when the tray is inclined so as to be higher toward the leading end in the sheet discharging direction, the sheets are stacked on the sheet discharging port side, and it is difficult to confirm and take out the sheet.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has an image reading means for reading an image of a document and a sheet based on image information of the document read by the image reading means. An image forming unit that forms an image on the image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus that discharges a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit to a space provided between the image reading unit and the image forming unit. The unit is provided with a tray for storing the discharged sheets, and the tray is inclined so that the leading end side in the sheet discharging direction is lower.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image forming apparatus embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG.
2. Description of the Related Art Some image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, and facsimile machines can selectively feed a plurality of types of sheets (for example, B5 size, A4 size, B4 size, and the like) having different sizes in the transport direction. In this embodiment, a copying machine will be exemplified, and the overall configuration thereof will be described.

In a copying machine, image information of a document (not shown) set on a document table glass 1 is read by a scanner unit 2 as image reading means. The document information read by the scanner unit 2 is projected by the laser scanner 3 onto the photosensitive drum 4 rotating clockwise.

An electrostatic latent image of document information formed on the photosensitive drum 4 is visualized (toner image) by toner supplied from a developing roller 5, and a transfer section between the photosensitive drum 4 and the transfer roller 6 is formed. Transported to

The copying machine as the present image forming apparatus is provided with three paper feed cassettes 7, 8, and 9 for storing sheets S1, S2, and S3 having different sizes in the transport direction. Sheets S in paper cassettes 7, 8, and 9
1, S2 and S3 can be selectively fed.

An operation unit 10 for operating the apparatus is provided in the scanner unit 2 so as to be operable from a direction opposite to a sheet discharging direction.

For example, in the operation unit 10, the sheet S1
When (for example, B5 size) is designated, the half-moon-shaped paper feed roller 11 makes one rotation in the counterclockwise direction to feed out the sheet S1. When the sheet S2 (for example, A4 size) is designated, the sheet feeding roller 12 feeds out the sheet S1, and the sheet S1 is fed.
3 (for example, B4 size) is specified,
3 feeds out the sheet S3.

The sheet S1 fed by the paper feed roller 11 is sent to a transfer section by a pair of transport rollers 16. Also. The sheet S2 fed by the paper feed roller 12 is sent to the transfer unit by the pair of transport rollers 15 and 16. Further, the sheet S3 fed out by the paper feed roller 13 is sent to the transfer unit by the pair of transport rollers 14, 15, and 16.

The sheet S1 (or S2,
The toner image on the photosensitive drum 4 is transferred by the transfer roller 6 to the sheet surface in S3). Then, the transferred sheet S1 (or S2, S3) on which the transfer of the toner image has been completed in the transfer section is sent to the fixing device 17, and is heated and pressed in the process of passing through the fixing device 17, whereby the toner image is fixed. .

The fixing-processed sheet S1 which has been subjected to the fixing process of the toner image in the fixing unit 17 is transported by a pair of conveying rollers 18,
The sheet S1 is sent to a sheet discharge roller pair 20 by the sheet discharge roller 19, and is discharged onto a sheet discharge stacking tray 23 dedicated to the sheet S1 outside the apparatus by the sheet discharge roller pair 20.

In the case of the fixed sheet S2,
The sheet S2 is conveyed to the sheet discharge roller pair 21 by the conveying roller pairs 18 and 19, and is discharged onto the sheet discharge stacking tray 24 dedicated to the sheet S2 outside the apparatus. In this case, the guide member 26 guides the sheet S <b> 2 conveyed by the conveying roller pairs 18 and 19 to the sheet discharging roller pair 21.

In the case of the fixed sheet S3,
The paper is sent to the paper discharge roller pair 22 by the transport roller pair 18,
The sheet is discharged onto a discharge stacking tray 25 dedicated to the sheet S3 outside the apparatus by the discharge roller pair 22. In this case, the sheet S3 conveyed by the conveying roller pair 18 is
7 guides to the discharge roller pair 22.

The trays 23, 24 and 25 are fixed to the image forming apparatus main body 28 in a state where the trays 23, 24 and 25 are inclined so as to become lower toward the leading end in the sheet discharging direction. At the leading end of the trays 23, 24, 25 in the sheet discharging direction, a sheet S
Substantially vertical restricting portions 29, 30, and 31 for restricting the tips of S1, S2, and S3 are provided.

Therefore, the sheets S1, S2, S3 discharged onto the trays 23, 24, 25 are stacked with their leading ends abutting on the regulating portions 29, 30, 31 as shown in the figure.

As described above, the trays 23, 24, 25
The reason why the sheet S1 is inclined so as to become lower toward the leading end in the sheet discharging direction is to facilitate checking and taking out of the sheets S1, S2, and S3.

[0025]

As described above, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the tray accommodating the sheet on which the image is formed and discharged is provided so as to be inclined so that the leading end of the sheet in the discharging direction becomes lower. Thereby, the visibility of the sheet can be improved and the sheet can be easily taken out.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the entire configuration of a conventional image forming apparatus (copier).

3 is an A view of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Scanner Unit (Image Reading Unit) 4 Photosensitive Drum (Image Forming Unit) 10 Operation Unit 22 Discharge Roller Pair 25 Discharge Loading Tray (Tray) 28 Image Forming Apparatus Main Body S1, S2, S3 Sheet

Claims (4)

[Claims] An image reading unit that reads an image of a document; an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet based on image information of the document read by the image reading unit; and an image formed by the image forming unit. An image forming apparatus that discharges the discharged sheet to a space provided between the image reading unit and the image forming unit, wherein the space includes a tray that stores the discharged sheet; An image forming apparatus, wherein the tray is inclined such that the leading end side in the sheet discharging direction is lower. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tray has a stopper that abuts a leading end side in a sheet discharging direction. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said trays are provided corresponding to a plurality of sheet sizes on which an image can be formed by said image forming means. 4. A plurality of trays corresponding to sheet sizes are arranged in order from top to bottom in order from a tray for storing small-sized sheets to a tray for storing large-sized sheets. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: