JP2003146448A - Picture image formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a picture image formation device capable of easily carrying out paper clogging treatment and maintenance work at a paper feeding part. SOLUTION: Respective slide members 53a, 53b of a pair of accurides 50a, 50b are connected to each other at their free ends by a connecting member 120. Additionally supporting parts 131 are respectively provided on the front surface side and the back surface side of the left side slide member 53a and the front surface side of the right side slide member 53b. A positioning pin 132 is provided respectively on each of these supporting parts 131. In the meantime, a first non-supporting part 133, a second non-supporting part 134 and a third non-supporting part 135 are respectively provided on positions to be engaged with the respective supporting parts 131 of a paper feeding cassette 111. A first positioning engagement part 136, a second positioning engagement part 137 and a third positioning engagement part 138 are provided on the respective non-supporting parts.

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 facsimile and a printer,
In particular, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a paper feed cassette that can be pulled out from the main body of the image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a so-called front loading type image forming apparatus provided with a paper cassette that can be drawn out to the front side of the main body of the image forming apparatus has been widely put into practical use. Very often, the mechanism for pulling out the paper feed cassette is performed by using a pull-out member called Acculide (registered trademark).

[0003] Explaining in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the accuride 50 is a fixing member 5 having a substantially U-shaped cross section.
1 and an intermediate slide member 52 slidable in the fixing member 51, a slide member 53 having a substantially U-shaped cross section for slidably supporting the intermediate slide member 52, and a longitudinal direction for smooth sliding operation between these members. A plurality of bearings 54 are provided in the direction.

The acculide 50 is arranged in a storage opening 71 formed in a lower portion of the copying machine main body 70 so as to sandwich a paper feed cassette 72 stored in the storage opening 71 from both sides. This pair of accurides 5
0, the fixing member 51 is fixed to the copier body side plate 73 in the storage opening 71 by screws (not shown) or the like. On the other hand, of the pair of accurides 50,
The slide members 53 are attached to both sides of the paper feed cassette 72 with screws (not shown) or the like. A cover member 75 provided with a handle 74 on the front side of the paper feed cassette 72
Is attached. With such a configuration, the user holds the grip 74 by hand and moves the paper feed cassette 72 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 5 or in the direction opposite to the direction A, whereby the paper feed cassette 72 is copied. A storage state in which it is mounted in the storage port 71 of the main body 70, and a withdrawn state in which the paper feed cassette 72 is pulled out from the storage port 71 (state shown in FIG. 5)
And can be moved smoothly. As a result, paper can be replenished to the paper feed cassette 72, paper jamming at the paper feed unit, maintenance of the paper feed unit and the like can be performed.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned conventional techniques have the following problems. That is, the sheet feeding cassette 72 is attached to the pair of accurides 50 with screws. Therefore, for example, when the user tries to clear the paper jam of the paper feeding unit, the paper feeding cassette 72 is pulled out to the front side of the copying machine main body, but the paper that cannot be processed unless the hand is put into the storage opening 71. In the case of clogging, it was very difficult to do, and there were also things in which it was impossible to put a hand into the storage opening 71.

When the service person needs to remove the paper feed cassette 72 from the pair of accurides such as when performing maintenance on the paper feed unit, the removal work is relatively easy, but the maintenance work and the like are completed. ,
When the sheet cassette 72 is attached to the pair of accurides 50, the attaching work is very complicated. That is, in the state in which the intermediate slide member 52 and the slide member 53 are stretched with respect to the fixing member 51 of the accuride 50 (the accuride state shown in FIG. 5, hereinafter simply referred to as the accuride stretched state), the sheet cassette 72 is attached to the slide member 53. Installed with screws etc., but Acculide 50
In the extended state, the slide member 53 has considerable play. The slide member 53 is the intermediate slide member 52.
This is because it is supported by the fixing member 51 via. It was a very difficult task to attach the sheet feeding cassette 72 to the sliding member 53 having such looseness with screws or the like.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to easily remove or attach a paper feed cassette from an accumulator, thereby performing paper jam processing and maintenance work in the paper feed unit. An image forming apparatus that can be easily performed is provided.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is to provide a fixing member having a substantially U-shaped cross section, an intermediate slide member slidable in the fixing member, and the intermediate slide member. In the image forming apparatus, which is supported by a pair of drawer members each of which has a substantially U-shaped slide member for slidably supporting the sheet, and which is provided with a paper cassette that can be drawn out from the image forming apparatus body, each slide member is The free ends are connected by a connecting member, and one slide member and the other slide member are respectively formed with supporting portions for supporting the sheet feeding cassette, and the sheet feeding cassette is placed at a predetermined position on the supporting portion. Each of the sheet feeding cassettes is provided with a positioning member for positioning the sheet feeding cassette, and a non-supporting member for engaging the positioning member with the positioning member and the supporting portion. An image forming apparatus having a holding section.

According to the present invention, since the respective slide members are connected by the connecting member at their free ends, even if the slide members move due to the play of the slide members in the state in which the drawer member is pulled out, a pair of slide members can be moved. The free ends of the pair of slide members and the connecting member move as a unit while maintaining the space between the slide members to which the paper feed cassette is attached.

Further, one slide member and the other slide member are each formed with a support portion for supporting the paper feed cassette, and the support portion is positioned for positioning the paper feed cassette at a predetermined position. Since each member is provided and the sheet feeding cassette has a positioning engaging portion that engages with the positioning member and a non-supporting portion that engages with the supporting portion, It is very easy to install and remove. As a result, paper jam processing and maintenance work in the paper feeding unit become very easy.

Further, the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the positioning member is provided on one end side of one slide member and on the other end side of the other slide member, respectively. Image forming apparatus.

According to the present invention, since the positioning members are provided on one end side of one slide member and the other end side of the other slide member, respectively, the positioning accuracy of the paper feed cassette is improved. If the positioning accuracy of the paper feed cassette is low, it may cause a paper jam in the paper feed unit, but according to the present invention, the paper jam due to such a cause does not occur.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the positioning member is formed of a pin, and the tip of the pin is tapered. It is a forming device.

According to the present invention, since the positioning member is formed by the pin and the tip of the pin is tapered, it is easier to attach the paper feed cassette to the slide member.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the pin has a substantially circular cross section, and the positioning engaging portion is a pin provided on the free end side of the slide member on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction. Corresponding first positioning engagement portion, second positioning engagement portion corresponding to a pin provided on the free end side of the slide member upstream in the paper feeding direction, and free slide member upstream in the paper feeding direction. And a third positioning engaging portion corresponding to the pin provided on the opposite side to the end side, wherein the first positioning engaging portion has a circular shape, and the second positioning engaging portion has a long hole shape. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the third positioning engagement portion has a semicircular cutout shape.

According to the present invention, the pin has a substantially circular cross section, and the first positioning engagement portion corresponding to the pin provided on the slide member on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction is circular, so that the paper feeding is performed. The position of the cassette is determined on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction. That is, when the paper feed cassette is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, there is a paper feed unit for feeding the paper in the paper feed cassette on the downstream side in the paper feed direction. Since the position will be determined, stable paper feeding is possible.

Further, a third pin corresponding to a pin provided on the side opposite to the free end side of the slide member on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction.
Since the positioning engagement portion has a semicircular cutout shape,
The third positioning engaging portion is engaged with the pin while sliding on the slide member, and then the first positioning engaging portion and the second positioning engaging portion
It is only necessary to engage the positioning engagement portion with the corresponding pin. At this time, the second positioning engagement portion has a long hole shape. That is, since it is not necessary to simultaneously engage these three positioning engagement portions with the corresponding pins, the mounting of the paper feed cassette becomes very easy. Furthermore, since the tip of the pin is tapered, it becomes easier.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a copying machine which is an embodiment of an image forming apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a copying machine which is an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the pulled-out state, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the paper feed cassette.

First, referring to FIG. 1, this copying machine has a paper feeding section 100 arranged at the lower part of the copying machine main body 1, and papers arranged laterally and above the paper feeding section 100. Conveying unit (sheet conveying device) 200, image forming unit 300 disposed above the sheet conveying unit 200, and image forming unit 300
The image forming unit 300 includes an image reading unit 500 disposed above the fixing unit 400 and the image forming unit 300 and the fixing unit 400.

The paper feed unit 100 includes four paper feed cassettes 11
1 from the selected paper feed cassette 111 to the exit side (right side in FIG. 1) of the paper feed cassette 111 by the rotation operation of the paper feed roller 112 having an arc outer peripheral portion.
5 is sent out, and is separated by the separating sections 116 provided at both upper ends of the sheet feeding cassette 111 in the width direction, so that the uppermost transfer sheets 115 are surely fed one by one to the sheet conveying section 200. ing.
Also, as will be described later, these four paper feed cassettes 111
Is drawn out from the copying machine main body 1.

The sheet conveying section 200 conveys the transfer sheet 115 fed from the sheet feeding section 100 toward the image forming section 300 by the conveying roller pair 202 and the registration roller pair 203, and further fixes from the image forming section 300. Part 400
The transfer sheet 115 on which the image has been formed is discharged onto the discharge tray 204 by the discharge roller pair 205.

The image forming section 300 forms a predetermined toner image on the sheet 115 by an electrophotographic process, and is rotatably supported by a photoconductive drum 301 having photoconductivity and the photoconductive drum 301. The charging unit 302 and the exposure unit 3 are provided around the periphery of 301 along the rotation direction thereof.
03, a developing unit 304, a transfer unit 305, a cleaner 306, and a charge eliminating unit 307.

The charging unit 302 includes a charging wire to which a high voltage is applied, and applies a predetermined potential to the surface of the photosensitive drum 301 by corona discharge from the charging wire. The exposure unit 303 irradiates the photosensitive drum 301 with laser light output from the laser light emitter based on the image data of the original read by the image reading unit 500, which will be described later, via the polygon mirror and the reflecting mirror. The potential of the surface of the photoconductor drum 301 is selectively attenuated to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor drum 301. The developing unit 304 develops the electrostatic latent image with toner, and the photosensitive drum 30
The toner image is formed on the surface of No. 1. The transfer unit 305 transfers the toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 301 to the transfer paper 115. In this copying machine, the transfer unit 305 is composed of a transfer roller which is separated from the photosensitive drum 301 by a predetermined distance. The cleaner 306 is the photosensitive drum 301 after the transfer.
The toner remaining on the surface of is removed. The charge eliminating unit 307 removes residual charges on the surface of the photoconductor drum 301.

The fixing section 400 is arranged on the downstream side of the image forming section 300 in the sheet conveying direction, and presses the sheet 115 on which the toner image is transferred in the image forming section 300 against the heating roller 401 and the heating roller 401. The toner image is fixed on the paper 115 by being nipped and heated by the pressure roller 402.

The image reading unit 500 includes the contact glass 5
Image information of the original is read by irradiating the original placed on 01 with light from an exposure lamp and guiding the reflected light to a photoelectric conversion unit such as a CCD line sensor via a reflecting mirror. . Note that the exposure lamp and the reflecting mirror form a scanning operation unit, and the scanning operation unit moves the moving region 508 in the left-right direction in FIG. 1 at a predetermined speed to place it on the contact glass 501. The entire surface of the document thus scanned can be scanned and the image on the entire surface of the document can be read.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, the paper feed unit 10
The configuration of 0 will be described. It should be noted that the same parts as those of the conventional art are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. The paper feeding cassette 111 in this embodiment is a front loading type copying machine. Therefore, all of the four paper feed cassettes 111 can be drawn out from the copying machine main body 1. This drawer mechanism is shown in FIG.
The same as accurride (drawer member) 50 shown in 5
0a and 50b are used. The accurides 50a and 50b are arranged in a storage opening 71 formed in a lower portion of the copying machine main body 1 so as to sandwich a sheet feeding cassette 111 stored in the storage opening 71 from both sides. Of the pair of accurides 50a and 50b, the fixing members 51a and 50b are fixed to the copier body side plate 73 in the storage opening 71 by screws (not shown) or the like.

On the other hand, the pair of accurides 50a, 5
0b, each slide member 53a53b is connected by a connecting member 120 at its free end.
The connection is made by screws (not shown), but other methods may be used. The connecting member 120 also serves as an outer cover of the paper feed cassette 111.
A handle 121 is provided at the center of the front side of the connecting member 120, and a pair of accurides 50a and 50b are slid by sliding the handle 121 from the front side to the rear side or from the rear side to the front side. It is composed. In this way, each slide member 53
Since the free ends of the a and 53b are connected by the connecting member 120, the free ends of the pair of slide members and the connecting member are integrated with each other while keeping a constant interval between the pair of slide members 53a and 53b. And move. Therefore, the play of the slide members is eliminated in the state where the accurides 50a and 50b are pulled out, and the pair of slide members 53a and 53b are kept at a constant interval. Therefore, the pair of slide members 53 of the sheet feeding cassette 111, which will be described later, are provided.
The attachment to a and 53b becomes very easy.

Support portions 131 and 131 are provided on the front surface side (free end side) and the rear surface side of the left side slide member (one slide member) 53a, respectively. A support portion 131 is also provided on the front surface side (free end side) of the right slide member (the other slide member) 53b. These supporting portions 131, 131, 131 are the paper feeding cassette 111.
Is to support. In addition, the sheet feeding cassette 111 is provided in each of the supporting portions 131, 131, 131.
A positioning pin 132 for positioning the
132, 132 are provided. Further, the positioning pin 131 has a substantially circular cross section, and its tip is tapered (see FIG. 2).

On the other hand, the supporting portions 131, 131 are respectively provided on the front side upper right side, the front side upper left side and the rear side upper left side of the sheet feeding cassette 111 for accommodating the transfer sheet 115.
First unsupported portion 133 and second unsupported portion 1 that engage with 131
34 and the third non-supporting portion 135 are provided respectively.
These first unsupported portion 133, second unsupported portion 134, and third
The unsupported portion 135 has the positioning pins 132,
132, a first positioning engagement portion 136 that engages with 132,
Second positioning engagement portion 137, third positioning engagement portion 138
Is provided. The first positioning engagement portion 136 has a circular shape, and the second positioning engagement portion 137 has a long hole shape.
The third positioning engagement portion 138 has a shape in which the third non-support portion 135 is cut out in a semicircular shape.

Therefore, since the positioning pin 132 has a substantially circular cross section and the first positioning engagement portion 136 has a circular shape, the position of the sheet feeding cassette 111 is determined on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction. That is, when the paper feed cassette 111 is mounted on the copying machine main body 1, there is a paper feed roller 112 for feeding the transfer paper 115 in the paper feed cassette 111 on the downstream side in the paper feed direction. Since the positions of 112 and the paper feed cassette 111 are determined, stable paper feed can be achieved.

Further, since the third positioning engagement portion 138 has a semicircular cutout shape, the third positioning engagement portion 1
38 is engaged with the positioning pin 132 while sliding on the slide member 53a, and then the first positioning engaging portion 136 and the second positioning engaging portion 137 are engaged with the corresponding positioning pins 132, 132, respectively. Good. That is, these three positioning engagement portions 136, 13
7, 138 respectively corresponding pins 132, 132,
Since it is not necessary to engage the sheet feed cassettes 132 at the same time, the paper feed cassette 111 can be attached very easily. Furthermore, since the tip of the positioning pin 132 is tapered, it becomes easier.

Supporting pieces 139 and 139 are provided on the right and left side surfaces of the paper feed cassette 111 in the longitudinal direction thereof.
Are formed. The support pieces 139 and 139 are engaged with the slide members 53a and 53b to assist the support of the sheet feeding cassette 111 to the accuride 50a and 50b.

With the above configuration, the paper feed cassette 1
It becomes very easy to attach and detach the slide members 53a and 53b of the 11 accurides 50a and 50b (see FIG. 2). That is, for example, it is assumed that a paper jam occurs near the paper feed unit during the copy operation. Then, the user holds the grip 121 and moves it from the rear surface side to the front surface side in order to pull out the corresponding paper feed cassette 111 from the copying machine main body 1. At this time, if it is necessary to put a hand into the storage opening 71 in the paper jam processing, the paper feed cassette 111 supported by the pair of slide members 53a and 53b is taken out (see FIG. 2). When the paper feed cassette 111 is taken out, there is nothing to block the storage opening 71, so that it is easy to put a hand into the storage opening 71. Therefore, when the paper jam processing in the storage port 71 is completed, the paper feed cassette 111 is moved to the pair of slide members 53a,
It is attached so as to support 53b. At this time, the first positioning engagement portion 136, the second positioning engagement portion 137, and the third positioning engagement portion 138 of the paper feed cassette 111 are attached so as to engage with the positioning pins 132, 132, 132, respectively. Each positioning pin 132, 132,
Since 132 has a tapered tip, mounting is very easy. Thus, when the mounting of the paper feed cassette 111 is completed, the grip 121 is again held and moved from the front surface side to the rear surface side, so that the paper feed cassette 111 is mounted on the main body of the copying machine.

In the above embodiment, the positioning members provided on the supporting portion are provided at three positions on the front surface side and the rear surface side of one slide member, and the front surface side of the other slide member. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and one slide member and the other slide member may be provided with support portions, and the support portions may be provided with positioning members (one for each of them). In this case, one support member and one positioning member provided on the support member are provided on one end side (front side or rear side) of one slide member and on the other end side (rear side or front side) of the other slide member, respectively. The positioning accuracy is improved by providing the positions one by one.

Further, in the above embodiment, the uppermost sheet feeding cassette has been described, but other sheet feeding cassettes may have the same configuration.

Although the above embodiment has been described with respect to the example of the copying machine, the present invention can be applied to general image forming apparatuses such as facsimiles and printers.

[0037]

According to the present invention, since the respective slide members are connected by the connecting members at their free ends, even if the slide members move due to the play of the slide members in the state where the drawer member is pulled out, The distance between the pair of slide members is such that the free ends of the pair of slide members and the connecting member move as a unit while maintaining the distance at which the paper feed cassette is attached.

Further, one slide member and the other slide member are each formed with a support portion for supporting the paper feed cassette, and the support portion is positioned for positioning the paper feed cassette at a predetermined position. Since each member is provided with a positioning engaging portion that engages with the positioning member and a non-supporting portion that engages with the supporting portion, the paper feeding cassette can be attached to the slide member of the paper feeding cassette. It is very easy to install and remove. As a result, paper jam processing and maintenance work in the paper feeding unit become very easy.

[0039]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a copying machine that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a copying machine that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state in which a paper feed cassette is pulled out.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a paper feed cassette.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional paper feed cassette.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of acrylide.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Copier body 50a, 50b Acculide (drawer member) 51a, 51b fixing member 52a, 52b Intermediate slide member 53a, 53b slide member 71 storage 111 paper feed cassette 120 Connection member 131 Support 132 Positioning pin 133 First unsupported part (supported part) 134 Second unsupported part (supported part) 135 Third unsupported part (supported part) 136 First positioning engagement portion (positioning engagement portion) 137 Second positioning engagement portion (positioning engagement portion) 138 Third positioning engagement portion (positioning engagement portion)

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Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A pair of drawers comprising a fixing member having a substantially U-shaped cross section, an intermediate slide member slidable in the fixing member, and a sliding member having a substantially U-shaped cross section for slidably supporting the intermediate slide member. In an image forming apparatus having a sheet feeding cassette supported by a member and capable of being drawn out from the main body of the image forming apparatus, each slide member is connected by a connecting member at its free end, and one slide member and the other slide member. Support portions for supporting the paper feed cassettes are formed on the paper feeding cassettes, and positioning members for positioning the paper feed cassettes at predetermined positions are provided on the support portions. An image forming apparatus comprising: a positioning engaging portion that engages with a positioning member; and a non-supporting portion that engages with the supporting portion. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning member is provided on one end side of one slide member and on the other end side of the other slide member, respectively. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning member is formed of a pin, and the tip of the pin has a tapered shape. 4. The pin has a substantially circular cross section, and the positioning engaging portion is a first positioning engaging portion corresponding to a pin provided on a free end side of a slide member on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction. A second positioning engagement portion corresponding to a pin provided on the free end side of the slide member on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction, and provided on the opposite side to the free end side of the slide member on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction. A third positioning engaging portion corresponding to the pin, the first positioning engaging portion having a circular shape, the second positioning engaging portion having a long hole shape, and the third positioning engaging portion. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein is a semicircular cutout shape.