JP2002068554A - Sheet discharge device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve one or a plurality of phenomena of rounding in a cylindrical shape by warping of a sheet at the sheet discharge time, push-out of preceding sheet by the next sheet and large handing-down of the sheet tip. SOLUTION: A regulating roller 22 is arranged downstream side of a sheet discharge roller 15, the roller outer peripheral lowest position of an upstream side regulating roller 22A is positioned a little below a horizontal line HL passing through a sheet nip point of the sheet discharge roller 15, and the roller outer peripheral lowest position of a downstream side regulating roller is positioned below the lowest position of the upstream side regulating roller. A brake pad 33 and a sheet hanging-down receiver 32 are arranged almost just under the regulating rollers. Since the brake action by the brake pad acts on the both side vicinity of the sheet by dead weight of the sheet even in a warped state of the sheet on the sheet discharge stack, the sheet can be stably placed. Since the sheet hanging-down receiver regulates hanging-down of a prescribed value or more of the sheet, the sheet does not round in a cylindrical shape even if sending-out force is applied to the sheet, so that the next sheet can be discharged in layers on the preceding sheet.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet discharge device in a recording apparatus such as a printer, and more particularly to a sheet warpage that occurs when a sheet is discharged to a discharge stack, the pushing of a previous sheet by the next sheet, and the like. The present invention relates to a paper discharge device which has improved paper discharge problems such as a rounded cylindrical shape due to a large dripping of the leading end of the paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a facsimile machine, a copying machine, a printer, or the like, sheets having been printed are stacked on a sheet discharge stacker by a sheet discharge device and discharged. When ink is printed on paper, the printing surface is moistened with ink, and the printing surface side expands. When the sheet is discharged from the sheet discharge roller onto the sheet discharge stacker in this state, the sheet is discharged flat at the initial stage of the discharge because the sheet width direction is constrained by the discharge roller (FIG. 10). When the length of paper is discharged, the binding force of the paper discharge roller becomes ineffective, and the leading end side of the paper hangs down due to its own weight and tends to curl inward with the printing surface out (FIG. 11). afterwards,
Further, as the paper is further discharged, the swelling on the printing surface side becomes remarkable, and a warp occurs in the central portion of the paper in the width direction (FIG. 12). When the discharge is completed in a state in which the sheet is warped, the warp spreads to the rear end of the sheet, and is placed on the sheet discharge stack across the sheet discharge path of the sheet discharge roller (FIG. 13). When the ink on the printing surface dries, the expansion on the printing surface side is reduced to return to the original flat paper.

[0003]

However, when the next sheet is discharged while the sheet on the sheet stack has traversed the sheet discharge path of the sheet discharge roller, the leading end of the sheet is placed on the sheet discharge stack. And pushes the sheet forward, so that subsequent sheets cannot be sequentially stacked and accommodated (FIG. 14). Further, when the sheet is placed on the sheet placement surface of the sheet discharge stacker in a warped state, both side edges of the sheet come into contact with the sheet placement surface, so that the contact area at that time is small, and the sheet can be easily moved by a slight force. Therefore, if a feeding force is applied by touching the sheet on the sheet discharge stacker during discharge of the next sheet, the sheet moves together with the next sheet. Further, in the case of paper having a weak stiffness, when the paper is discharged from the paper discharge roller to a certain length, the leading end of the paper droops largely due to the weight of the paper, and the entrance angle to the paper mounting surface becomes large, and the paper mounting surface is raised. If it becomes difficult to slip and the slip cannot absorb the sheet feed amount, the leading end of the sheet strikes the sheet placement surface and is rolled into a cylindrical shape. As described above, when the paper is discharged to the paper discharge stack, there is a problem that the above-described problem caused by the paper wet with the ink occurs alone or in combination. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to improve one or a plurality of phenomena such as curling of a sheet at the time of sheet discharging, pushing of a previous sheet by the next sheet, and curling into a cylindrical shape due to a large dripping of the leading end of the sheet. It is to provide a device.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet discharging apparatus for discharging printed sheets to a sheet discharging stacker, which is disposed downstream of a sheet discharging roller for discharging the sheets. There is provided a regulating means for contacting the sheet below a horizontal line passing through the sheet nip point of the roller and for directing the traveling direction of the sheet toward the sheet placement surface of the sheet ejection stacker. According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the widthwise warpage of the sheet discharged by the restricting means is suppressed, a discharge space for the next sheet is secured, so that the sheets can be stacked and accommodated in the sheet discharge stack.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the regulating means comprises a regulating roller which rotates in contact with the sheet. According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the regulating means has a roller structure, the contact resistance with the sheet can be reduced, and the traveling direction of the sheet can be smoothly changed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the regulating roller is disposed on the upstream side and the downstream side with respect to the traveling direction of the sheet, and the lowermost part of the outer periphery of the upstream regulating roller is a discharge roller. Is located slightly below the horizontal line passing through the paper nip point, and the lowermost part of the outer periphery of the downstream regulating roller is located below the lowermost part of the outer periphery of the upstream regulating roller. According to the invention of claim 3,
In the process of moving the paper, by sequentially lowering the contact with the plurality of regulating rollers, it is possible to easily change the traveling direction of the paper when the paper is stiff.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet discharging apparatus for discharging printed sheets to a sheet discharging stacker, which is disposed near a downstream side of a sheet discharging roller for discharging the sheets, and applies a brake to the discharged sheets. A brake means is provided. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, by applying a braking action to the vicinity of the rear end of the sheet discharged to the sheet discharge stacker, this sheet can be prevented from being pushed forward by the leading end of the next sheet, and can be stabilized. The loaded paper is maintained.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, the brake means is constituted by a brake pad made of a friction material, and the braking action of the brake pad acts near both sides of the sheet by the weight of the sheet. It is characterized by being arranged. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, even when the sheet discharged onto the sheet discharge stack is warped, the braking action is reliably performed in the vicinity of both sides of the sheet by the weight of the sheet, so that the stable sheet placement is maintained.

The invention according to claim 6 is a paper discharge device for discharging printed paper to a paper discharge stacker, wherein a predetermined amount of paper discharged from the paper discharge roller is provided downstream of a paper discharge roller for discharging paper. A paper hanging receiver for restricting hanging of the paper is provided. According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, by disposing the sheet hanging receiver, a large dripping of the leading end of the sheet is eliminated, and the sheet is not rolled into a cylinder even when a feeding force is applied to the sheet. It can be ejected on paper.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet discharging apparatus for discharging printed sheets to a sheet discharging stacker.
And a regulating means described in any one of claims 1 to 4.
And a brake means described in (1). According to the seventh aspect of the invention, it is possible to combine the functions and effects of the regulating means and the brake means.

The invention according to claim 8 is a paper discharge device for discharging printed paper to a paper discharge stacker.
And a sheet hanging receiving body according to claim 7.
According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to combine the functions and effects of the regulating means and the paper hanging receiver.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet discharging apparatus for discharging printed sheets to a sheet discharging stacker.
And a regulating means described in any one of claims 1 to 4.
And a paper hanging receiver according to claim 7. According to the ninth aspect of the invention, the functions and effects of the restricting means, the braking means, and the paper hanging receiver can be provided.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a printer device to which a paper discharge device according to the present invention is applied. The printer device 1 includes a paper feed cassette mounting section 2 on the front side of the main body of the printer, and a paper feed cassette 3 containing a plurality of stacked papers is inserted and mounted. The paper feed cassette mounting unit 2 is inclined outward and gently upward from the apparatus main body, and the upper surface thereof forms a paper mounting surface of a paper discharge stacker 4 for storing paper discharged after printing. The paper P supplied from the paper feed cassette 3 is pressed against the paper feed roller 6 by the separation pad 5 and is separated and fed one by one.

The paper P fed by the paper feed roller 6 is
Guided by a plurality of paper guide rollers 8 arranged around the paper reversing feed roller 7, the paper is wound around and conveyed by the paper reversing feed roller 7, the paper is detected by the paper detector 9, and the paper is sent to the transport roller 10. . Subsequently, the control of the drive of the transport roller 10 is performed based on the paper detection to perform skew removal and cueing of the paper, and thereafter, the paper is transported to a print area including the print head 12 and the platen 13 in accordance with the print timing. The paper P is printed by reciprocating the carriage 11 on which the carriage 12 is mounted in the sub-scanning direction, and is discharged to the discharge stacker 4 by the downstream discharge roller 15 via the upstream discharge roller 14.

A sheet transport path located downstream of the downstream sheet discharge roller 15 and formed by the upstream sheet discharge roller 14 and the downstream sheet discharge roller 15 extends rearward of the downstream sheet discharge roller 15. The regulating means 20 is arranged on the line. The regulating means 20 has a function of contacting the sheet P below the horizontal line HL passing through the sheet nip point of the downstream sheet ejection roller 15 and forcibly directing the progress of the sheet P toward the sheet placement surface of the sheet ejection stacker 4. Have. An embodiment of the regulating means 20 will be described with reference to a specific embodiment shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, a holder 21 is attached to a holder supporting plate 17 fixed to a side frame (not shown) and a rear frame 16 so that the regulating means 20 operates over the entire width of the paper P. A plurality of regulating rollers 22 are arranged in the holder 21 in two rows at a predetermined interval. The regulating roller 22 is a first regulating roller 22.
A and a second regulating roller 22B, and the second regulating roller 22B is provided downstream of the first regulating roller 22A. The lowermost position of the outer periphery of the first regulating roller 22A is set slightly below the horizontal line HL passing through the sheet nip point of the downstream sheet discharging roller 15, and
The lowermost part of the outer periphery of the second regulating roller 22B is the first one.
The restriction roller 22A is set so as to be further below the lowermost portion of the outer periphery of the roller.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the first regulating roller 22A and the second regulating roller 22B have a roller diameter of 13 m.
m, the first regulating roller 22A and the second regulating roller 22B.
Roller interval L1 is about 42 mm, and the downstream side discharge roller 1
The distance L2 between the roller 5 and the first regulating roller 22A is 93 mm.
The distance L3 from the horizontal line HL to the lowermost portion of the outer periphery of the first regulating roller 22A is about 1.2 mm, and the horizontal line H
A distance L4 from L to the lowermost position of the outer periphery of the second regulating roller 22B is set to about 7.2 mm. For these specifications, optimal values are determined according to the physical properties of the paper, the mechanical configuration of the paper discharge rollers, the paper discharge speed, the distance from the regulating roller 22 to the paper discharge stacker 4, the inclination angle of the paper mounting surface, and the like. Selected.

A brake support 31 and a paper hanging receiver 32 are formed so as to protrude in the direction of the discharge stacker 4 from a discharge roller holder 30 in which the upstream discharge roller 14 and the downstream discharge roller 15 are assembled. The brake support 31 and the paper hanging receiver 32 are located almost directly below the restricting means 20. The brake support 31 is disposed immediately after the downstream paper discharge roller 15 and has a brake pad 33 made of urethane foam or the like. The brake pads 33 are arranged at a plurality of positions in accordance with the sheet size so that a braking action is exerted near both sides of the sheet rear end.

The paper hanging receiver 32 is formed of a rib-like member extending along the paper mounting surface, and is provided at a plurality of locations in the width direction of the paper P. In the process in which the paper P moistened by the ink is discharged from the downstream paper discharge roller 15, the sagging caused by the weight of the paper P as the paper leading edge moves away from the downstream paper discharge roller 15 is prevented from becoming larger than a predetermined value. I do. Paper hanging receiver 3
If there is no sheet 2, when the leading end of the sheet P hangs down more than a predetermined amount and reaches the sheet discharge stacker 4 and hits the sheet placement surface, the feed force of the downstream side sheet discharge roller 15 is applied to the reduction in rigidity of the sheet P due to the wetting. As a result, the sheet P is rolled into a cylindrical shape. When the sheet P in such a state is discharged to the sheet discharge stacker 4, a problem occurs in the subsequent discharge of the sheet P.

Next, the operation of the sheet discharging apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. The printed paper P is discharged (FIG. 4), and the leading end of the paper P is guided by the first and second restriction rollers 22A and 22B to advance toward the discharge stack 4 (FIG. 5).
Since the upper surface of the paper P after printing is moistened with the ink, a warp whose center in the paper width direction is convex after the paper P exits from the downstream paper discharge roller 15 is generated. When the trailing edge of the sheet separates from the downstream paper discharge roller 15, the trailing edge of the sheet including the trailing edge of the sheet falls onto the brake pad 33. At this time, the warpage of the paper P is
A discharge space 40 for the sheet P1 which is suppressed by the second regulating roller 22B and is discharged following the rear portion of the sheet P is formed. The discharge of the subsequent sheet P1 starts (FIG. 6). The paper P on the paper discharge stacker 4 is reduced in warpage as the ink dries and returns to its original flat state.

When the next sheet P1 is discharged in the state shown in FIG. 7, the advancing direction is directed to the sheet mounting surface by the two regulating rollers 22A and 22B similarly to the sheet P. When the leading edge of the sheet P1 abuts on the sheet P, a force for pushing the sheet P forward and a force for pressing the sheet P against the sheet placing surface are applied. Due to the synergistic action of the pressing force of the sheet P against the sheet mounting surface and the weight of the sheet P, as shown in FIG.
Brake is applied by friction between
Extrusion in the direction is prevented. When the ejection of the sheet P1 is completed and the sheet P overlaps the sheet P, the third sheet to be ejected is the upper sheet P which has been ejected and overlapped first.
1 is pushed out, but is not pushed out due to friction between the sheets. Similarly, the fourth and subsequent sheets are sequentially stacked.

When the stiffness of the sheet P is weak, the leading edge of the sheet hangs down after coming out of the downstream discharge roller 15 and before reaching the regulating roller 22, is received by the sheet hanging receiver 32, and the leading end of the sheet The approach angle that can slide on the surface is secured (FIG. 9). In the process of discharging the sheet P, a warp occurs in the center in the sheet width direction. This warpage is suppressed by the second regulating roller 22B, and is maintained in the state shown in FIG. The subsequent discharge of the sheet P1 is the same as the discharge operation described with reference to FIG.

In the above embodiment, the regulating means 20 has a configuration in which a plurality of regulating rollers 22 are arranged in two rows.
The number of rows may be three or more. Further, it may be constituted by a non-rotating regulating member. Further, the brake support 31 and the paper hanging receiver 32 are attached to the discharge roller holder 30.
Although they are integrally formed with each other, they can be provided as separate members.

[0024]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the regulating means is disposed on the downstream side of the paper discharge roller, the warpage of the discharged paper in the width direction is suppressed, and the discharge space for the next paper is secured. Accordingly, the sheets can be stacked and accommodated in the discharge stack. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the brake means is disposed near the downstream side of the paper discharge roller, a brake action is applied to the vicinity of the rear end of the paper discharged to the paper discharge stacker, and this paper is moved to the front end of the next paper. Can be prevented from being pushed forward, and stable paper placement can be maintained. According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the paper hanging receiver is disposed, the leading end of the paper is prevented from drooping greatly. Therefore, even if a feeding force is applied to the paper, the paper does not curl into a cylindrical shape. Can be discharged on top of

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a printer device to which a sheet discharge device according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a sheet discharging device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a regulation roller and a discharge roller of a specific example of the paper discharge device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an initial state of sheet discharge.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram when a regulating unit operates on a sheet.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the warpage of a sheet after being discharged.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of pushing out the sheet on the sheet ejection stack by the sheet ejected next.

FIG. 8 is a view as seen from the direction of arrows II in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the paper hanging receiver.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of sheet discharge in a conventional sheet discharge device.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view of hanging a leading edge of a sheet in a conventional sheet discharging apparatus.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of occurrence of sheet warpage in a conventional sheet discharge device.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the warpage of a sheet on a sheet discharge stack in a conventional sheet discharge device.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a sheet warped on a sheet discharge stack and a sheet to be discharged next in a conventional sheet discharge device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 2 Paper feed cassette mounting part 3 Paper feed cassette 4 Paper discharge stacker 6 Paper feed roller 7 Paper reversal feed roller 9 Paper detector 10 Transport roller 11 Carriage 12 Print head 14 Upstream discharge roller 15 Downstream discharge roller 20 Restriction roller 32 Paper hanging receiver 33 Brake pad P Paper

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3F049 AA08 CA02 DA12 LA02 LA05 LA07 LB03 3F053 GA03 GA05 GA18 LA07 LB03 3F101 FA01 FB12 FC11 LA02 LA05 LA07 LB03

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A paper discharge device for discharging printed paper to a paper discharge stacker, which is disposed downstream of a paper discharge roller for discharging the paper, and is lower than a horizontal line passing through a paper nip point of the paper discharge roller. A sheet discharging device provided with a regulating means for contacting the sheet with the sheet and directing the traveling direction of the sheet toward the sheet mounting surface of the sheet discharging stacker. 2. A sheet discharging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said regulating means comprises a regulating roller which rotates in contact with the sheet. 3. The paper feeding device according to claim 2, wherein the regulating roller is disposed on the upstream side and the downstream side with respect to the traveling direction of the sheet, and the lowermost part of the outer periphery of the upstream regulating roller is a sheet nip point of the sheet discharging roller. And the lowermost part of the outer periphery of the downstream regulating roller is located below the lowermost part of the outer periphery of the upstream regulating roller. 4. A paper discharge device for discharging printed paper to a paper discharge stacker, wherein a brake means is disposed near a downstream side of a paper discharge roller for discharging the paper and applies a brake to the discharged paper. A paper discharge device characterized in that it is provided. 5. The brake device according to claim 4, wherein the brake means is constituted by a brake pad made of a friction material, and the brake means is arranged so that the braking action of the brake pad works near both sides of the sheet by its own weight. A paper discharge device characterized by the above-mentioned. 6. A paper discharge device for discharging printed paper to a paper discharge stacker, wherein a downstream side of a paper discharge roller for discharging the paper restricts a dripping of the paper discharged from the paper discharge roller by a predetermined amount or more. A paper discharge device, wherein a paper hanging receiver is disposed. 7. A paper discharging device for discharging printed paper to a paper discharging stacker, wherein the regulating means according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and the brake according to claim 4 or 5 are provided. Means for discharging paper. 8. A paper discharging device for discharging printed paper to a paper discharge stacker, wherein the regulating means according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and a paper hanging receiver according to claim 7. A paper discharge device comprising a body. 9. A paper discharging device for discharging printed paper to a paper discharge stacker, wherein the regulating means according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and the brake according to claim 4 or 5 are provided. A sheet discharging device comprising: a sheet hanging support according to claim 7;