JP2004250234A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily confirm the residual quantity of recording paper while saving a space for a display LED. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming apparatus is provided with an aperture 1a in a front face part of a paper feeding cassette 1. An apparatus body is provided with a bicolor LED 24 emitting yellow light when recording paper is nearly out of stock and emitting red light when recording paper is out of stock. The apparatus body is further provided with an end sensor for detecting no recording paper on a bottom plate, a detecting means, and a near end sensor 27 contacting a part of the bottom plate to detect the vertical position of the bottom plate. In the image forming apparatus, the bicolor LED 24 is fitted to the aperture 1a when the paper feeding cassette 1 is mounted to the apparatus body, and the bicolor LEd 24 can be confirmed from the outside. When the position of the bottom plate becomes higher than a prescribed position, one color of bicolor LED 24 is emitted as the near end, and when detecting the used-up state of recording paper, the other color is emitted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus applied to a facsimile machine, a plain paper copier, a printer, and the like.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a conventional facsimile apparatus of the electrophotographic type, wherein 1 is a paper feed cassette, 2 is an operation panel, and 3 is an LED for displaying the remaining amount of recording paper. On the operation panel 2 when the recording paper in the paper feed cassette 1 is reduced and the recording paper is almost exhausted (hereinafter, this time is referred to as near end) and when the recording paper is exhausted (hereinafter, this time is referred to as end). By turning on the plurality of LEDs 3, the fact is transmitted to the user.
JP-A-57-170338

  However, in the conventional recording paper remaining amount display, since a plurality of LEDs 3 on the operation panel 2 are used for display, a display space is required by the number of the LEDs 3, and furthermore, the LEDs are difficult to be seen from a distant place, and even if they are seen. Even from a distance, it is difficult to distinguish the LED for displaying the remaining amount of recording paper from the other LEDs. In the case of an apparatus having a plurality of paper feed cassettes, it is difficult to confirm which paper feed cassette is near-end or end from a distance.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve such a problem and to provide an image forming apparatus capable of saving space of an LED for displaying the remaining amount of recording paper and easily confirming the remaining amount of recording paper.

  According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording material, a drawable paper cassette that supplies the recording material to the image forming unit, and a cassette provided inside the paper cassette. And a bottom plate on which the recording paper is placed, wherein a detecting means is provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus in order to detect that the recording paper has reached a predetermined amount or less, and the bottom plate is provided in the detecting means. The vertical position of the bottom plate is detected by contact with the bottom plate.

  According to the present invention, since the position of the bottom plate on which the recording paper is placed is directly detected by the detection means, the remaining amount of the recording paper can be accurately and easily detected.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Members having the same configuration or the same function as those of the conventional configuration shown in FIG. 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a side view showing the internal configuration of a facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied. Reference numeral 10 denotes a photosensitive member, 11 denotes a charging unit, 12 denotes an exposure unit, 13 denotes a developing unit, 14 denotes a transfer roller, 15 denotes a bottom plate, Reference numeral 16 denotes a pressure spring, reference numeral 17 denotes a half-moon-shaped paper feed roller, reference numeral 18 denotes a conveying roller, reference numeral 19 denotes a marking portion, reference numeral 20 denotes a registration roller, and reference numeral 21 denotes an end sensor for detecting that recording paper has run out on the bottom plate 15.

  Around the photoreceptor 10, a charging unit 11, an exposure unit 12, a developing unit 13, a transfer roller 14, and the like are disposed. Further, inside the paper feed cassette 1, the other end is rotatably installed so that one end of the bottom plate 15 can move up and down. A paper feed roller 17 is provided above one end of the bottom plate 15, and a pressure spring 16 is provided below one end. The leading end of the recording paper set on the bottom plate 15 is moved toward the paper feed roller 17 by the upward bias by the pressure spring 16.

  The surface of the photoconductor 10 rotating in the direction of the arrow in the drawing is uniformly charged by the charging unit 11, and further, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor 10 by the exposure unit 12, and the developing unit 13 Supplies toner, a toner image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 10 and moves toward the transfer roller 14. On the other hand, the recording paper on the bottom plate 15 is transported by the paper feed roller 17, passes through the transport roller 18, and reaches the registration roller 20. The registration roller 20 conveys the recording paper to the transfer roller 14 in synchronization with the movement of the toner image on the photoconductor 10, and the transfer roller 14 transfers the toner image to the recording paper. After the toner image is thermally fixed on the recording paper, the recording paper is discharged to the outside.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the end sensor and a state before the paper cassette is mounted on the main body of the facsimile apparatus. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration and operation of the end sensor. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a structure for locking a bottom plate downward when the bottom plate is detached from the vehicle. In FIG. 2, 21a is a filler, 21b is a shield plate, 21c is one end of one end of the filler 21a fixed to one end, and one end of the shield plate 21b is fixed to the other end, and the facsimile apparatus main body (hereinafter, simply referred to as the apparatus main body) Shows a rotatably mounted shaft. Here, the other end of the filler 21a and the other end of the shielding plate 21b swing in conjunction with the shaft 21c. 22 is a lever, 23 is a guide block provided on the bottom of the apparatus main body, 24 is a two-color LED installed on the side of the insertion slot of the paper feed cassette 1 of the apparatus main body, 1a is a front face of the paper feed cassette 1 The provided window 1b is a handle provided at the center of the front surface of the paper feed cassette 1. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 15a denotes a notch formed in the bottom plate 15, reference numeral 25 denotes a sensor unit, and reference numeral 21d denotes a shielding unit formed in the shielding plate 21b for turning the sensor unit 25 on and off. Further, in FIG. 4, reference numeral 15b denotes an L-shaped hook formed at the tip of the bottom plate 15, and 26 denotes a lock member provided on the sheet feeding cassette 1 and engaged with the hook 15b.

  The shaft 21c is installed so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the recording paper conveyance direction. The other end of the filler 21a and the other end of the shielding plate 21b face the recording paper conveyance direction, and can move up and down with respect to each other. The lever 22 is for retracting the shielding plate 21b upward when the sheet cassette 1 is detached from the apparatus main body. When the sheet cassette 1 is detached from the apparatus main body, the hook portion 15b and the lock member 26 are engaged, and the bottom plate 15 is in a state of being lowered against the urging of the pressure spring 16. is there.

  When replenishing recording paper, the paper feed cassette 1 is pulled out of the apparatus main body, the recording paper is set on the bottom plate 15, and then the paper feed cassette 1 is mounted on the apparatus main body. At this time, the position regulation of the filler 21a and the shielding plate 21b is released by the lever 22 being pressed by the sheet cassette 1. Therefore, the other ends of the filler 21a and the shielding plate 21b move downward by their own weight, and the shaft 21c and the shielding plate 21b stop when the filler 21a comes into contact with the recording paper. On the other hand, the lock member 26 comes into contact with the guide block 23, and further slides on the guide surface 23a. The guide surface 23a faces obliquely inward with respect to the recording paper conveyance direction. Therefore, the lock member 26 is pressed by the guide block 23 and moves in a direction perpendicular to the recording paper conveyance direction, and the hook 15b and the lock member 26 are separated from each other to release the locked state. As a result, the bottom plate 15 is raised by the urging of the pressure spring 16, and the paper can be fed. Further, the emitted light of the two-color LED 24 fits into the window 1a and can be checked from the outside.

  Then, when the image recording is performed and the recording paper runs out on the bottom plate 15, the rotation of the other end of the filler 21a is no longer regulated by the recording paper, and the notch 15a is positioned further below, so that the filler 21a Rotates, and the shielding plate 21b also rotates in conjunction with the rotation. At this time, the shielding unit 21d moves toward the sensor unit 25, and the sensor unit 25 detects the movement of the shielding plate 21b. Then, based on the output signal of the sensor section 25, the two-color LED 24 emits light of one color, thereby notifying the user that the recording paper has run out.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the structure of the near-end sensor and a state before the sheet cassette is mounted on the facsimile apparatus main body, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the structure and operation of the near-end sensor, 27 is a near-end sensor, and 27a is an actuator. Reference numerals 15c and 15c denote extending portions in which a part of the distal end of the bottom plate 15 extends in the sheet feeding direction. The near-end sensor 27 is turned on when the actuator 27a is pushed up by a certain amount or more, and generates an output signal.

  When the sheet feeding cassette 1 is mounted on the apparatus main body, the extending portion 15c is located below the near-end sensor 27 as shown in FIG. Then, by performing image recording, the recording paper on the bottom plate 15 is reduced and the bottom plate 15 is raised, so that the extending portion 15c pushes up the actuator 27a. Eventually, when the actuator 27a is pushed up beyond a certain level, the near-end sensor 27 outputs an output signal, and based on the output signal, makes the two-color LED 24 emit light of the other color to notify the user that the recording paper is almost out of paper. Is done.

  FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing a control system for emitting two-color LEDs. 24a is a yellow LED that emits yellow light, 24b is a red LED that emits red light, 28 is an IC, 29, 30, and 31 are transistors, and 32 , 33 indicate resistors. The yellow LED 24a emits light when the near-end sensor 27 is turned on, and the red LED 24b emits light when the end sensor 21 is turned on.

  FIG. 8 is a front view showing the external appearance of an image forming apparatus having a plurality of paper feed cassettes in the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment, 34 is an image reading unit, 35 is an image recording unit, and 36 is a plurality of paper feed cassettes 1. 1 shows a paper feed unit provided. An image reading unit 34 is located at the top of the apparatus main body, an image recording unit 35 is located below the image reading unit 34, and a sheet feeding unit 36 is located below the image recording unit 35. Therefore, the windows 1a are vertically arranged, and the remaining amount of recording paper in each paper feed cassette 1 can be grasped by confirming the emission color of the two-color LED 24 through the corresponding window 1a. Become.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is applicable to an image forming apparatus applied to a facsimile machine, a plain paper copier, a printer, and the like, and particularly to an image forming apparatus having a plurality of paper feed cassettes.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an internal configuration of a facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The perspective view which shows the structure of an end sensor, and the state before mounting a paper feed cassette to a facsimile machine main body. Perspective view showing the configuration and operation of the end sensor A perspective view showing a structure for locking a bottom plate downward when the sheet cassette is detached from the apparatus main body. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a near-end sensor and a state before a sheet cassette is mounted on a facsimile apparatus main body. Perspective view showing the configuration and operation of the near-end sensor Circuit diagram showing a control system for emitting two-color LEDs FIG. 2 is a front view showing the appearance of the image forming apparatus having a plurality of paper feed cassettes in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a facsimile apparatus having a conventional sheet feeding device.

Explanation of reference numerals

1 paper feed cassette 1a window 1b handle 2 operation panel 3 LED
10 Photoconductor
11 Charging unit
12 Exposure unit
13 Developing unit
14 Transfer roller
15 Bottom plate
15a notch
15b hook
15c Extension
16 Pressure spring
17 Paper feed roller
18 Transport rollers
19 Marking part
20 Registration roller
21 End sensor
21a filler
21b Shield plate
21c shaft
21d shielding
22 lever
23 Guide block
23a Guide surface
24 2-color LED
24a yellow LED
24b red LED
25 Sensor section
26 Lock member
27 Near-end sensor
27a actuator
28 IC
29, 30, 31 transistors
32, 33 resistance
34 Image reading section
35 Image recording section
36 Paper source

Claims (1)

An image forming unit for forming an image on a recording material, a drawer cassette capable of drawing out the recording material to the image forming unit, and a bottom plate provided inside the paper feeding cassette and on which recording paper is placed are provided. Image forming apparatus,
In order to detect that the amount of recording paper has reached a predetermined amount or less, a detecting unit is provided in the image forming apparatus main body, and the vertical position of the bottom plate is detected by the bottom plate coming into contact with the detecting unit. Image forming apparatus.

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