JP2005104697A - Image processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem wherein a user must call a service man to eliminate a condition in which a paper sheet cannot be fed and the user cannot print and copy until the service man comes for repair when a paper sheet is nipped between a paper feeding cassette and a coupling of this image processing device, thereby causing a condition in which paper feeding is not performed and a paper sheet cannot be fed. <P>SOLUTION: In this image processing device, two electrodes are provided in the coupling. Two electrodes conduct electricity by their contact with a tip of an electrical conductive rotary shaft when the tip of the rotary shaft of the paper feeding cassette meshes with the coupling. If a paper sheet is nipped between the tip of the rotary shaft and the coupling, the paper sheet obstructs the contact of the electrodes with the tip of the rotary shaft. When the electrodes do not conduct electricity, an image reading device informs the user that the paper sheet is nipped between the paper feeding cassette and the image processing device. The user can remove the nipped paper sheet by himself/herself to eliminate the condition in which paper sheet cannot be fed by the informing procedure. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus including a paper feed cassette such as a printer, a copier, or a multifunction machine.

  FIG. 4 shows a paper feed cassette 100 that is removable from the image processing apparatus. As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-79420, the paper feed cassette 100 includes a side plate 101 and a bottom plate 103 on which paper 102 is placed. Connecting holes 105 are provided in connecting portions 104 erected at two locations on the side plate 101 and two locations on the bottom plate 103. Each connecting hole 105 is connected via a pin (not shown), and the bottom plate 103 is rotatable with respect to the side plate 101 around the connecting hole 105.

  On the lower surface of the bottom plate 103, a rotating shaft 106 that rotates the bottom plate 103 with respect to the side plate 101 is arranged in the direction of taking out the paper feed cassette 100.

  The rotating shaft 106 includes an arm 107, and the arm 107 pushes up the bottom plate 103 by rotating the rotating shaft 106. As the bottom plate 103 is raised, the paper in the paper feeding cassette 100 comes into contact with a paper feeding roller (not shown), and paper feeding is performed. The tip of the rotating shaft 106 on the image processing apparatus side protrudes from the bottom plate 103 and is provided with a plurality of pins 108. The tip of the rotating shaft 106 on the image processing apparatus side engages with a coupling 109 fixed to the image processing apparatus when the paper feeding cassette 100 is stored in the storage section of the image processing apparatus. Around the coupling 109, a groove 111 for fitting the pin 108 is provided. When the tip of the rotation shaft 106 on the image processing apparatus side and the coupling 109 are engaged, the pin 108 is fitted into the groove 111.

  The coupling 109 is driven by a motor 110 and can rotate the meshed rotating shaft 106.

The image processing apparatus includes a paper feed roller (not shown) above a portion in which the paper feed cassette 100 is stored. The image processing apparatus is provided with a storage sensor that detects that the paper feed cassette 100 has been pushed in. When the storage sensor detects that the paper feed cassette has been stored, the motor 110 is driven to rotate the bottom plate with the rotation shaft 106. 103 is raised. When the bottom plate 103 is raised, the paper 102 comes into contact with the paper feed roller, and the paper feed roller can feed the paper 102.
JP-A-11-79420

  When the paper feed cassette 100 is pulled out from the image processing apparatus, the paper stored in the paper feed cassette 100 may be caught by the housing of the storage unit that stores the paper feed cassette 100 and fall into the storage unit. If the paper cassette 100 is to be stored in the storage unit when the paper 102 is falling in the storage unit, the paper 102 may be sandwiched between the tip of the rotating shaft 106 and the coupling 109 as shown in FIG. is there. The image processing apparatus drives the motor 110 when the storage sensor detects that the paper feed cassette 100 is stored, regardless of whether or not the paper 102 is sandwiched.

  When the sheet 102 is sandwiched between the tip of the rotating shaft 106 and the coupling 109, the rotating shaft 106 and the coupling 109 do not engage with each other as shown in FIG. 5, and the pin 108 cannot fit into the groove 111. Therefore, even if the motor 110 is driven, the bottom plate 103 does not rise because the rotational force of the motor 110 is not transmitted to the rotating shaft 106. Therefore, paper feeding from the paper feeding cassette becomes impossible and a service man call or the like occurs.

  If the user does not feed paper, he / she needs to call a service person or the like to cancel the state where the paper cannot be fed. Therefore, the user cannot perform printing, copying, or the like with the paper feeding cassette until the serviceman comes to repair and the state in which paper feeding cannot be performed is resolved.

  However, when a sheet is sandwiched between the tip of the rotating shaft and the coupling, the state where the sheet cannot be fed is eliminated by removing the sheet. Since the operation of removing the paper is easy, the user can easily perform it.

  Therefore, in the image processing apparatus of the present invention, in order to quickly eliminate the state where the paper cannot be fed, which occurs when the paper is sandwiched between the tip of the rotating shaft and the coupling, the paper is sandwiched between the tip of the rotating shaft and the coupling. An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that detects this and informs the user.

  In the image processing apparatus of the present invention, two electrodes are provided on the coupling. The two electrodes are electrically connected by contacting the tip of the rotating shaft having conductivity when the tip of the rotating shaft and the coupling are engaged. When the tip of the rotating shaft is made of a non-conductive material, the tip of the rotating shaft is covered with a conductive material in order to ensure conductivity at the tip of the rotating shaft.

  When a sheet is sandwiched between the tip of the rotating shaft and the coupling, the electrode does not conduct because the sheet interferes and the electrode cannot contact the tip of the rotating shaft.

  The image processing apparatus according to the present invention notifies the user that a sheet is sandwiched between the sheet feeding cassette and the image processing apparatus when the electrode is not conductive while the sheet feeding cassette is stored.

  Since the user is notified that the sheet is sandwiched between the sheet feeding cassette and the image processing apparatus, the user can know the cause of the sheet not being fed. If the user knows that the paper is not fed because the paper is sandwiched between the paper feeding cassette and the image processing apparatus, the user can remove the paper himself and cancel the state where the paper cannot be fed. There is no need to call a service person when the user is unable to feed paper. Further, when the state where the user cannot feed the paper is eliminated, the state where the paper cannot be fed can be solved faster than when the service person is called to cancel the state where the paper cannot be fed. In addition, if the user removes the paper, the number of times the service person is called by the user also decreases.

  The paper feed cassette 100 provided in the image reading apparatus according to the present invention includes a side plate 101 and a bottom plate 103 as shown in FIG. 4, and the bottom plate 103 is rotatable with respect to the side plate 101. A rotating shaft 106 is disposed on the bottom surface of the bottom plate 103 as in the conventional case. In the present embodiment, the material of the rotating shaft 106 is a conductive metal.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the coupling 109 that meshes with the tip of the rotating shaft 106 is provided with a groove 111 around which a pin 108 provided at the tip of the rotating shaft 106 is fitted, and two electrodes 202, 203 is provided.

  When the paper feed cassette 100 is stored in the storage unit of the image processing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2A, the pin 108 is fitted into the groove 111, and the tip of the rotating shaft 106 on the image processing apparatus side is the coupling 109. Mesh with each other. When the coupling 109 is engaged with the tip of the rotating shaft 106, the electrodes 202 and 203 come into contact with the tip of the rotating shaft. The electrodes 202 and 203 may be urged from the coupling 109 to the distal end side of the rotating shaft 106 by a biasing means such as a spring so that the electrodes 202 and 203 are easily in contact with the distal end of the rotating shaft 106. When the coupling 109 and the tip of the rotating shaft 106 are engaged with each other, the electrodes 202 and 203 are conducted through the tip of the rotating shaft 106 having conductivity.

  If the paper 102 is sandwiched between the tip of the rotary shaft 106 and the coupling 109 when the paper feed cassette 100 is pushed into a prescribed position of the image processing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 102 becomes an obstacle and the pin 108 cannot be fitted into the groove 111, and the electrodes 202 and 203 cannot contact the tip of the rotating shaft 106. Therefore, the electrodes 202 and 203 do not conduct when the paper 102 is sandwiched.

  When the sheet 102 is sandwiched between the leading end of the rotating shaft 106 and the coupling 109, the rotational force of the motor 110 is not transmitted from the coupling 109 to the rotating shaft 106 as in the conventional case. Does not rise.

  The detecting means 210 shown in FIG. 3 detects whether or not the electrode is conductive. The detection means 210 is connected to one of the electrodes 202 and 203 by an electric wire. This electric wire is connected to the pull-up resistor 221 between the electrode 202 and the detection means 210. Of the electrodes 202 and 203, the electrode 203 not connected to the detection means 210 is connected to the earth 222.

  The image processing apparatus includes a storage switch 211 that detects that the paper feed cassette 100 is stored as in the conventional case. When the storage switch 211 detects that the paper feed cassette 100 has been stored, the motor control means 212 that controls the motor 110 drives the motor 110 to raise the bottom plate 103.

  On the other hand, when the storage switch 211 detects that the paper feed cassette 100 is stored, the detection unit 210 checks whether the electrodes 202 and 203 are conductive. When the electrodes 202 and 203 are not conductive, the detection unit 210 notifies the motor control unit 212 that the electrodes 202 and 203 are not conductive.

  When it is notified that the electrodes 202 and 203 are not conducting, the motor control unit 212 stops the motor 110. On the other hand, when the detection unit 210 notifies that the electrodes 202 and 203 are not conductive, the detection unit 210 notifies that the sheet 102 is sandwiched between the sheet feeding cassette 100 and the image processing apparatus. The notification method is not limited. For example, this notification is performed by displaying on an LCD or the like provided in the image processing apparatus, or is notified through a speaker of the image processing apparatus.

  When the user knows that the paper 102 is sandwiched between the paper cassette 100 and the image processing apparatus by this notification, the user pulls out the paper cassette 100 to remove the paper 102 that has been sandwiched and removes the paper cassette 100. Store. By removing the sandwiched paper 102, the electrodes 202 and 203 are brought into contact with each other, and the tip of the rotating shaft 106 and the coupling 109 are engaged with each other. Accordingly, the bottom plate 103 can be raised by driving the motor 110.

  In the above, the motor control unit 212 drives the motor 110 when the storage switch 211 detects that the paper cassette 100 is stored. However, the motor 110 is driven when the electrodes 202 and 203 are electrically connected. It may be done after confirmation. For example, when the electrodes 202 and 203 are conductive, the detection unit 210 notifies the motor control unit 212 that the electrodes 202 and 203 are conductive. The motor control unit 210 drives the motor 110 when it is notified that the electrodes 202 and 203 are conducting.

It is an external view of a coupling and a motor. FIG. 6 is an external view when a coupling between a paper and a tip of a rotating shaft is engaged when the paper is sandwiched and when the paper is not sandwiched. It is a functional block diagram of an image processing apparatus. It is a disassembled perspective view of a paper feed cassette. The figure in which the paper is pinched between the rotating shaft and the coupling.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Paper feed cassette 101 Side plate 102 Paper 103 Bottom plate 106 Rotating shaft 109 Coupling 110 Motor 202 203 Electrode 210 Detection means 212 Motor control means

Claims (1)

A removable paper feed cassette having a bottom plate and a rotary shaft that raises the bottom plate by rotational movement, and when the paper feed cassette is stored, the rotational force of the motor is engaged with the tip of the rotary shaft to the rotary shaft. In an image processing apparatus equipped with a transmission coupling,
The tip of the rotating shaft is conductive,
When the coupling is engaged with the rotating shaft, the coupling is provided with two electrodes that are brought into contact with the tip of the rotating shaft and are conductive,
An image processing apparatus comprising: detecting means for detecting engagement between the tip of the rotating shaft and the coupling based on whether or not the electrode is conductive.

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