JP2007119091A - Recording medium delivery device and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To constitute a delivery roller mechanism provided with a means for generating corrugation so as to suppress the corrugation in thick paper to a small degree and to deliver sheet-like recording medium in an aligned manner. <P>SOLUTION: A delivery roller assembly 68 is constituted on a delivery roll drive shaft 72 such that a plurality of delivery rollers 74 and a plurality of corrugation members 76 formed in a larger outer diameter than an outer diameter of the delivery roller 74 are integrally turned. Nextly, respective pinch rollers 82 pivotally attached so as to be freely turned are urged to the respective delivery rollers 74 through the sheet-like recording medium by a predetermined pinch pressure to press them and the sheet-like recording medium is conveyed by turning the delivery roll drive shaft 72 in such a state that the sheet-like recording medium is clamped between the delivery roller 74 and the corrugation member 76 and the pinch roller 82. Further, an outer peripheral rolling/contact surface of the pinch roller 82 is moved while retaining the parallel state in which it becomes an equal distance from a rotation axis of the delivery roll drive shaft 72 by balance operation mechanisms 78, 86. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording medium discharging apparatus that discharges a sheet-shaped recording medium from an apparatus main body, and an image forming apparatus including the recording medium discharging apparatus.

  In general, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system such as a copying machine, a facsimile, or a printer, a sheet-like recording medium (for example, plain paper or thick paper for photography) on which an image is formed is used as a tray or the like. In general, the apparatus main body is equipped with a recording medium discharging device in order to discharge the sheet so as to be aligned and stacked on the recording medium.

  In this type of image forming apparatus, the paper that is a recording medium when being discharged from the apparatus main body by the recording medium discharge device is immediately after being subjected to the heat fixing process by the fixing device, so that the paper is easily curled.

  For this reason, in the recording medium discharging apparatus, when the sheets are discharged continuously, the alignment becomes worse due to the influence of the paper curl and it is difficult to take out from the discharge tray. If the degree of curl is large, the previous paper and the next paper may collide or the paper may fall from the paper discharge tray.

  Therefore, in order to improve such a problem, a part called a corrugation roller is provided in the vicinity of one paper discharge roller of the paper discharge device, and the paper discharged by the corrugation roller is perpendicular to the traveling direction. Waves are forcibly generated in the direction, paper curl is removed from the paper, and the paper can be discharged smoothly (so-called corrugation).

  Conventionally, in a paper discharge device having such a corrugating means, an upper paper discharge roller and a lower paper discharge roller are installed so as to make rolling contact with each other across a paper conveyance path. In some cases, a sheet is sandwiched between the upper sheet discharge roller and the sheet is conveyed as the lower sheet discharge roller rotates.

  Further, this paper discharge device is configured such that the lower paper discharge roller is a rubber roller, the lower paper discharge roller is press-fitted into a core metal as a roller shaft, and the core metal is driven to rotate. A resin-integrated corrugation roller is disposed in the vicinity of the lower paper discharge roller. The resin-integrated corrugation roller has a cylindrical holding portion fitted on the core, a ring-shaped roller body that can come into contact with the paper, and a plurality of L-shaped elastic members that connect the roller body and the holding portion. The supporting arm portion is formed, and the holding portion, the elastic supporting arm portion, and the roller main body are integrally formed of resin.

  The roller body has a ring shape, and a space is provided inside thereof. In this roller body, when the roller body is deformed by receiving a force, only the elastic support arm portion is elastically deformed without changing the shape of the roller body itself.

  In a paper discharge device having such a resin-integrated corrugation roller, the paper is forcibly bent by the corrugation roller when the paper is conveyed by the lower paper discharge roller and the upper paper discharge roller that is in contact with the lower paper discharge roller. Corrugation occurs. Thereby, the paper can be smoothly discharged out of the apparatus main body.

  Further, when transporting thick paper with this paper discharge device, the elastic support arm portion of the corrugation roller is bent, so that the roller body is displaced downward, and no corrugation action occurs. Therefore, there has been proposed a paper that eliminates the wave of the paper and prevents folding lines and the like (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Further, in the paper discharge device shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, for example, provided with the corrugation means as described above, a plurality of discharge rollers 12 as rubber rollers are installed on the discharge roll drive shaft 10, and corrugations are provided at both ends of the discharge roller 12. The discharge roller mechanism is formed by integrally forming the flange portion 14 for generating the above. Further, in this paper discharge device, the pinch roller 16 is disposed on the rotating shaft 18 that is freely mounted, the pinch rollers 16 are brought into rolling contact with the discharge rollers 12, and the pinch rollers 16 are discharged by the pinch springs 20. The pressure to be brought into pressure contact with the roller 12 is adjusted.

  In this paper discharge device, the paper P is corrugated by the paper roll sandwiched between the plurality of pairs of discharge rollers 12 and the pinch rollers 16 and the discharge roll drive shaft 10 is rotationally driven. As a result, it is possible to prevent problems such as paper misalignment on the discharge tray.

  Recently, there has been an increasing demand for an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system to form a color image on a thick paper and form a color print of a photographic paper.

  Therefore, when the paper discharge device provided with such corrugation means is to be used in an image forming apparatus that forms a color image on thick paper, the pinch roller 16 is pressed against the discharge roller 12 to corrugate the thick paper. It is necessary to increase the pinch pressure to work, but when the specification range of the thickness of the paper to be used is large, if the pinch pressure is set high so that corrugation is applied to all paper in the same way, the corrugation streaks There is a problem that can be. For this reason, in the paper discharge device provided with the corrugation means, it is necessary to suppress the pinch pressure to a certain extent and reduce the corrugation on the thick paper.

However, in the paper discharge device provided with such corrugation means, if the pinch pressure is lowered to such an extent that corrugation streaks cannot be made on the thick paper, as shown in FIG.
The pinch pressure balance between the pair of the plurality of discharge rollers 12 and the pinch roller 16 is lost, and a part of the sheet remains on the flange portion 14 where the pair of the discharge roller 12 and the pinch roller 16 remains large in diameter. Rolled and discharged at a fast discharge speed, and another part of the paper was rolled in contact with the other discharge roller 12 and pinch roller 16 and the flange portion 14 was elastically deformed to the same small diameter as the discharge roller 12 and discharged slowly. Since the paper is discharged at a speed, there is a problem that a discharge skew occurs in the discharged paper, and the discharged paper becomes uneven.

In particular, in the paper discharge device provided with such corrugation means, when the four discharge rollers 12 are arranged on the discharge roll drive shaft 10, the pinch roller 16 that presses the inner discharge roller 12 is provided. Since the reaction force due to the waist of the sheet that works in the lifting direction is stronger than the reaction force at the end of the sheet, the flange portions 14 of the discharge rollers 12 on both ends of the discharge roll drive shaft 10 are elastically deformed to a small extent and the discharge roll drive shaft 10 The flange portion 14 of the discharge roller 12 on the center side is greatly deformed, causing a loss of balance, causing a discharge skew and easily causing uneven discharge sheets.
JP 2004-155533 A

  In view of the above, the present invention has a discharge roller mechanism provided with means for generating corrugation, and even if it is configured to suppress corrugation on cardboard to a small level, discharge skew occurs in the discharged sheet-like recording medium. It is an object of the present invention to newly provide a recording medium discharging apparatus and an image forming apparatus that can prevent discharge paper from being uneven and can discharge so that sheet-like recording media are aligned and stacked.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium discharge device including a plurality of discharge rollers and a plurality of corrugation members formed on the discharge roll drive shaft and having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the discharge rollers. A discharge roller assembly arranged to rotate, and each pinch roller pivotally attached to each discharge roller via a sheet-like recording medium is urged and pressed with a predetermined pinch pressure. A discharge pinch configured to convey the sheet-like recording medium by rotating the discharge roll drive shaft in a state where the sheet-like recording medium is sandwiched between the discharge roller and the corrugation member and the pinch roller A roller assembly, and a balance operation mechanism that moves the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the pinch roller while maintaining a parallel state that is equidistant from the rotation axis of the discharge roll drive shaft. And butterflies.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the recording medium discharging apparatus according to the first aspect, the balance operation mechanism is pivotally attached to the fixing member of the apparatus main body on the base end side of the support member, and the free end of the support member. A pinch roller is pivotally attached to a support projecting piece provided on the side.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the recording medium ejecting apparatus according to the first aspect, the balance operating mechanism is provided at one end of the intermediate portion of the first arm member that rotatably supports the pinch roller. An intermediate portion of a second arm member that is pivotally attached to the fixed member and rotatably supports the pinch roller at one end portion is pivotally attached to the fixed member, and each pinch of the first arm member and the second arm member is A sliding guide hole should be drilled at the end opposite to where the roller is attached, and the interlocking pin should be inserted so that the sliding guide hole overlaps. Thus, the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the pinch roller pivotally attached to the first arm member and the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the pinch roller pivotally attached to the second arm member are equidistant from the rotation axis of the discharge roll drive shaft It is characterized in that it is configured to move while maintaining.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the recording medium ejecting apparatus according to the first aspect, the other end portion of the first arm member that rotatably supports the balance operation mechanism at one end portion of the pinch roller. Is attached to the link holding bracket with an axial pin, and the other end of the second arm member that rotatably supports the pinch roller at one end is axially attached to the link holding bracket with an axial pin. The other end of the link member having one end pivotally attached to the intermediate portion of one arm member and the other end of the link member having one end pivotally attached to the intermediate portion of the second arm member are coaxially connected by an interlocking pin. And a part of the interlocking pin is slidably inserted into a sliding guide hole formed in the link holding bracket, whereby the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the pinch roller axially attached to the first arm member, and the second The outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the pinch roller pivotally attached to the arm member is the discharge roll. Characterized by being configured to move while maintaining the state in which the same distance from shaft axis of rotation.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising the recording medium ejecting apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects.

  By configuring as described above, when the sheet-like recording medium is sandwiched between the discharge roller assembly and the discharge pinch roller assembly with a predetermined pinch pressure, and the sheet-like recording medium is corrugated and discharged. , Because the sheet-like recording medium is so-called stiff (such as cardboard) (high rigidity), the sheet-like recording medium having a high rigidity that is in contact with the corrugating member floats from the discharge roller, When the balance of the push-up force by the waist of thick paper or the like on the pinch roller is lost, the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the plurality of pinch rollers is equidistant from the rotation axis of the discharge roll drive shaft by the action of the balance operation mechanism. Keep parallel. Therefore, in this discharge roller assembly, the distance to the elastically deformed outer periphery (the outer diameter at the time of elastic deformation) of the corrugation member that is in rolling contact with cardboard or the like can be made constant for all the corrugation members in the discharge roller assembly. . For this reason, the paper discharge speed by the discharge roller assembly changes from the peripheral speed of the discharge roller portion to the same peripheral speed set by elastically deforming all the corrugation members to which the thick paper and the like are in rolling contact. Since all the corrugating members that roll into contact with each other perform the operation of discharging at the same sheet discharging speed, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of skew at the time of discharging and to stack the sheet-like recording media together.

  In addition, according to the above-described configuration, it is possible to set a low pinch pressure corresponding to the stiffness of thick paper or the like, so that damage due to corrugation of thick paper (corrugation marks are attached to the thick paper) and slip marks of the nip portion are suppressed. I can do it.

  Furthermore, for sheet-like recording media that are weak, such as thin paper, it is possible to eliminate irregularities in the sheet-like recording medium that is discharged by corrugating the thin paper, etc., so the range of application from thin paper to thick paper is wide. A recording medium discharge device can be provided.

  In the recording medium discharge apparatus and the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the discharge roller mechanism provided with a means for generating corrugation can be configured to suppress corrugation on cardboard to reduce the problem of corrugation streaks, and the like. It is possible to prevent the discharge skew from occurring in the sheet-shaped recording medium to be discharged and cause the discharge paper to be uneven, and to discharge the sheet-shaped recording medium so as to be stacked.

  An image forming apparatus including a recording medium discharging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in the schematic configuration diagram of FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus (digital copying machine) main body 30 includes an image scanner 34 disposed above a printer 32 and an automatic document feeder 36 disposed above the image scanner 34. To do.

  The automatic document feeder 36 is configured so that an image scanning operation can be performed by automatically conveying a document or a plurality of documents to be copied so as to pass a copy position arranged on the upper part of the image scanner 34.

  Although not shown, the image scanner 34 is provided with a user interface for a user to input a start of copying and an exposure optical system for reading a color original image. The output signal of the color original image read by the exposure optical system is converted into digital image data by the control unit and temporarily stored, and is stored in the printer 32 as image data for forming a latent image at a predetermined timing. Are output to a ROS (color latent image forming apparatus) corresponding to each color described later.

  The printer 32 is configured as a tandem type full color printer. Therefore, an image forming unit 64 for forming toner images of each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) is installed inside the printer 32.

  An image forming unit 64 corresponding to each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) has a photosensitive drum (scanned body) as an image carrier, and a photosensitive drum. An optical scanning device that forms an electrostatic latent image by performing an exposure process, and a developing device that makes each color latent image on the photosensitive drum appear as a toner image.

  In the printer 32, a black image formed on the image forming unit 64 corresponding to black (K), a yellow image formed on the image forming unit 64 corresponding to yellow (Y), and magenta (M). The magenta image formed on the image forming unit 64 corresponding to the image and the cyan image formed on the image forming unit 64 corresponding to cyan (C) are transferred to the intermediate transfer member 66 conveyed in one direction at a constant speed. After the sequential transfer, the transfer unit 54 collectively transfers the sheet P (sheet-like recording medium).

  The registration unit 52 installed in the printer 32 moves the paper P to a certain distance within a certain time before the transfer unit 54, and the color toner image is transferred to a predetermined position on the paper P. Configure as follows.

  The fixing unit 58 installed in the printer 32 completes a color copy (color print) on which a color image is formed by heat-fixing the paper P on which the toner image is transferred.

  In addition, the printer 32 has a paper discharge tray 38 attached to an intermediate portion on one side thereof, and a manual feed tray 40 attached to an intermediate portion on the other side opposite to the one side surface. Inside the printer 32, four paper feed trays 42, 44, 46 and 48 are mounted so as to be drawable.

  Inside the printer 32, a paper feed unit 50 that pulls out various types of paper P having different sizes and the like, which are sheet-like recording media, is mounted from the paper feed trays 42, 44, 46, and 48.

  Inside the printer 32, required paper P (sheet-like recording medium) pulled out from the paper feed trays 42, 44, 46, 48 one by one by the paper feed unit 50 is passed through the registration unit 52 to form a color image. A conveyance unit 56 for conveyance to the transfer unit 54 is mounted.

  Further, inside the printer 32, a conveyance path for discharging from the transfer section 54 through the fixing section 58 to the sheet discharge tray 38 by the discharge section 60 and a double-sided conveyance path for performing so-called double-sided copying are installed. .

  This double-sided conveyance path is configured as a path for returning from the fixing unit 58 to the exit side of the conveyance unit 56 via the reversing device unit 62. This double-sided conveyance path is conveyed on a normal conveyance path passing through the conveyance unit 56, the registration unit 52, the color image transfer unit 54, and the fixing unit 58 from the paper supply unit 50, and a color image is formed on one surface thereof. The sheet P (sheet-like recording medium) is temporarily stored in the reversing device unit 62 by switching from the normal conveyance path to the double-sided conveyance path on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the fixing unit 58, and at a predetermined timing. The paper is pulled out from the reversing device 62 and carried out to the exit side of the transport unit 56 and transported so that an operation of forming a color image again on the other surface of the paper P (sheet-like recording medium) can be performed.

  In the printer 32, a discharge unit 60 is provided at the end of the conveyance path disposed inside the printer 32 in order to discharge color copies from the inside to a paper discharge tray 38 disposed outside the image forming apparatus main body 30. .

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the discharge unit 60 generates corrugation on the sheet-like recording medium, and discharges the sheet-like recording medium so as to be stacked and stacked on the paper discharge tray 38. Mount the recording medium ejector.

  The recording medium discharge device includes a discharge roller assembly (assembly assembly) 68 and a discharge pinch roller assembly (assembly assembly) 70.

  The discharge roller assembly 68 is configured by installing a plurality of discharge rollers 74, which are rubber rollers, on the discharge roll drive shaft 72 at predetermined intervals. Each discharge roller 74 is integrally formed with a truncated cone-shaped flange portion 76 (corrugation member) formed to have an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the discharge roller 74 at both ends in the rotation axis direction. In the discharge roller assembly 68, the discharge roller 74 and a corrugation member corresponding to a flange portion formed to have an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the discharge roller 74 are configured as separate bodies. A corrugation member formed to have an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the discharge roller 74 with a predetermined interval may be arranged. Further, the flange portion 76 is configured to have a friction coefficient equivalent to that of the discharge roller 74.

  As shown in the cross-sectional shape of FIG. 2, the discharge roller 74 is formed by cutting out portions near the outer periphery of the discharge roll drive shaft 72 at both end portions in the rotation axis direction so that the flange portion 76 has a predetermined weakness. It is configured to be elastically deformable with a load.

  The discharge roll drive shaft 72 is configured to be rotated by a drive operation mechanism such as a motor (not shown).

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the discharge pinch roller assembly 70 constituting the recording medium discharge device has a substantially front surface at both ends on the free end side of a support member 78 having an integral structure as a balance operation mechanism. A pair of support protrusions 80 protruding in an inverted U shape are provided. A shaft rod 82A of the pinch roller 82 is attached between the pair of support projecting pieces 80 so as to be in rolling contact with the discharge rollers 74.

  In the discharge pinch roller assembly 70, bearing protrusions 84 formed by bending small rectangular protrusions at right angles are provided at both ends on the proximal end side of the support member 78. Each bearing protrusion 84 is provided with a shaft hole, and a shaft pin 86 projecting from a fixing member of the image forming apparatus main body 30 is inserted into the shaft hole so as to be rotatably supported. A balance operation mechanism in which the free end portion of the assembly 70 on which the pinch roller 82 is disposed moves while maintaining a parallel state with respect to the discharge roller assembly 68 is configured.

  That is, in the discharge pinch roller assembly 70 provided with this balance operation mechanism, the outer peripheral rolling contact surfaces (or the rotation axis of the pinch roller 82) of all the pinch rollers 82 attached to the support member 78 are arranged on the corresponding discharge rollers 74. It moves from the outer peripheral rolling contact surface (or the rotation axis of the discharge roll drive shaft 72) while maintaining a parallel state that is equidistant.

  In the discharge pinch roller assembly 70, a compression coil spring 88 is installed between each predetermined position of the support member 78 near the pinned roller 82 and the fixing member of the image forming apparatus main body 30, and the discharge roller 74. In addition, the pinch pressure that is applied to press the pinch roller 82 against the flange portion 76 via the thick paper is set to a predetermined low pinch pressure that does not cause corrugation streaks on the thick paper.

  With this configuration, in the recording medium discharging apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, when discharging the thick paper, the pinch roller 82 has a larger outer diameter than the outer diameter of the discharge roller 74 by the pinch pressure that presses the thick paper. The formed flange portion 76 is elastically deformed as shown in FIG. 3, and the distance between the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the pinch roller 82 and the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the discharge roller 74 is the distance between all the pinch rollers 82 and the discharge rollers 74. Matches in pairs. That is, in this state, the outer diameters of all the flange portions 76 formed to have an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the discharge roller 74 that is in rolling contact with the cardboard are constant.

  Therefore, in the recording medium discharging apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the balance of the pinch pressure is constant between the pairs of the plurality of flange portions 76 and the pinch roller 82, and all the flange portions 76 are elastically deformed equally. Since the thick paper is discharged in contact with the thick paper with the same diameter and discharged at the same discharge speed, it is possible to prevent a discharge skew from occurring in the thick paper to be discharged and to cause unevenness of the discharged paper P. It can be discharged so that it can be loaded on top.

  Further, in this recording medium discharge apparatus, the thick paper is reduced by corrugation by inserting the thick paper between the plurality of pairs of discharge rollers 74 and flange portions 76 and the pinch roller 82 and rotating the discharge roll drive shaft 72. In this state, the cardboard can be discharged without corrugation streaks. In addition, since the cardboard itself has high rigidity and firmness, the paper is not aligned on the discharge tray by curling when it is ejected by the recording medium ejector or by sliding on the surface of the ejected cardboard below. It is possible to prevent problems such as these from occurring.

  In addition, when a normal so-called copy sheet having a low rigidity is discharged by the recording medium discharge device, the sheet is sandwiched between a plurality of pairs of discharge rollers 74 and flange portions 76 and a pinch roller 82 and discharged with a waist. As a result, it is possible to prevent problems such as paper misalignment on the discharge tray.

  In the image forming apparatus provided with the recording medium discharge device configured as described above, the paper P discharged from the paper feed trays 42, 44, 46, and 48 by the paper feed unit 50 is transported to the registration unit 52 by the transport unit 56. Then, the sheet P is conveyed from the registration unit 52 to the transfer unit 54 at a predetermined timing, and the toner images formed by the image forming units 64 and sequentially transferred to the intermediate transfer body 66 are collectively transferred to the sheet P. The fixing unit 58 performs heat fixing processing, and the paper P on which the color image is formed is discharged and stacked on the paper discharge tray 38 by the discharge unit 60.

  Next, another configuration example of the recording medium discharging apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the recording medium discharge apparatus shown in FIG. 5, four discharge rollers 74 and flange portions 76 (corrugation members) are arranged on the discharge roll drive shaft 72 at predetermined intervals. For this reason, in the recording medium discharging apparatus shown in FIG. 5, two sets of pinch rollers 82 corresponding to one of the two sets of discharge rollers 74 adjacent on the discharge roll drive shaft 72 and the other two sets of discharge rollers 74. The two pairs of pinch rollers 82 corresponding to the above are provided with independent balance operation mechanisms, and between the balance operation mechanism for one discharge roller 74 and the balance operation mechanism for the other discharge roller 74. A balance operation mechanism for the entire discharge pinch roller assembly 70 is provided.

  The balance operation mechanism for one discharge roller 74 and the balance operation mechanism for the other discharge roller 74 are configured by applying a lever mechanism, respectively, and a pair of first arm member 90 and second arm member. 92. The first arm member 90 is provided with a pair of support protrusions 80 protruding in a substantially front inverted U shape at one end of the long plate-like arm member. A shaft rod 82A is pivotally mounted between the pair of support projecting pieces 80 to support the pinch roller 82. Each pinch roller 82 is disposed so as to make rolling contact with the corresponding discharge roller 74.

  Similarly, the second arm member 92 is provided with a pair of support protrusions 80 protruding in a substantially front inverted U shape at one end of the long plate arm material. A shaft rod 82A is pivotally mounted between the pair of support projecting pieces 80 to support the pinch roller 82.

  The first arm member 90 and the second arm member 92 have a rectangular transparent shape that has the same shape so as to be able to communicate with the end portions of the long plate-like arm members on the side opposite to the support projecting piece 80. A sliding guide hole 94 that is a hole is formed.

  The first arm member 90 configured as described above is arranged in the printer 32 with a shaft pin 96 at a predetermined position as a fulcrum in the long plate arm material between the support projecting piece 80 and the sliding guide hole 94. The fixing member 98 is pivotally attached.

  Further, similarly, the second arm member 92 is arranged in the printer 32 by a shaft pin 96 at a predetermined position as a fulcrum in the long plate-like arm material between the support projecting piece 80 and the sliding guide hole 94. The fixed member 98 is pivotally attached.

  The first arm member 90 and the second arm member 92 pivotally attached to the fixing member 98 in this manner are overlapped so that the respective slide guide holes 94 communicate with each other, and the overlapped slide guide holes 94 are overlapped. At the same time, the interlocking pin 100 is disposed through.

  The interlocking pin 100 is formed so that its diameter is slightly smaller than the inner width of the sliding guide hole 94 so as to be slidable in the sliding guide hole 94, and the interlocking pin 100 and the sliding guide hole 94 The first arm member 90 and the second arm member 92 are configured to be interlocked with each other with the required high accuracy.

  In this balance operation mechanism, a compression coil spring 88 is installed between the flat surface of the support projection piece 80 of the first arm member 90 and the fixing member of the image forming apparatus main body 30, and the support of the second arm member 92 is supported. A compression coil spring 88 is installed between the flat surface of the projecting piece 80 and the fixing member of the image forming apparatus main body 30, and each of the discharge roller 74 and the flange portion 76 formed to have an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the discharge roller 74. Thus, the pinch pressure that is urged to press the respective pinch rollers 82 through the thick paper is set to a predetermined low pinch pressure that does not allow corrugation streaks or the like on the thick paper.

  With the independent balance operation mechanism for the pair of adjacent pinch rollers 82 configured as described above, for example, when the pinch roller 82 of the first arm member 90 moves away from the discharge roller 74 and the flange portion 76. The first arm member 90 rotates at a required angle about the shaft pin 96.

  Then, the position of the interlocking pin 100 in the sliding guide hole 94 where the first arm member 90 and the second arm member 92 are connected is moved to the discharge roll drive shaft 72 side, whereby the second arm member 92 is The shaft pin 96 is rotated around the shaft pin 96 in the opposite direction to the first arm member 90, and the pinch roller 82 is moved away from the discharge roller 74 and the flange portion 76 by the same distance.

  That is, in this balance operation mechanism, when one pinch roller 82 moves with respect to the discharge roller 74 and the flange portion 76, the other pinch roller 82 also moves with respect to the discharge roller 74 and the flange portion 76 in the same manner. The two pinch rollers 82 are always positioned at the same distance from the corresponding discharge rollers 74 and flange portions 76.

  Accordingly, when discharging the thick paper, the flange portion 76 formed to have an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the discharge roller 74 is elastically deformed by the pinch pressure with which each pinch roller 82 presses the thick paper, and the outer periphery of the pinch roller 82 is rotated. The distance between the contact surface and the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the discharge roller 74 is the same for all pairs of the pinch roller 82 and the discharge roller 74.

  Therefore, the balance operation mechanism shown in FIG. 5 can provide the same effects as those of the recording medium ejecting apparatus shown in FIGS.

  Further, in the recording medium discharge device shown in FIG. 5, a balance operation mechanism for the entire discharge pinch roller assembly 70 is provided between one balance operation mechanism and the other balance operation mechanism.

  This overall balance operation mechanism is configured by applying this mechanism in the same manner as the balance operation mechanism described above, and has a pair of first balance arm member 102 and second balance arm member 104. The interlocking pin 100 of the one balance operation mechanism described above is fixed to the first balance arm member 102 at one end portion of the substantially U-shaped arm member, and similarly to this, the second balance arm member 104 is attached to the second balance arm member 104. The interlocking pin 100 of the other balance operation mechanism is fixed to one end of the substantially U-shaped arm member.

  The end portions of the first balance arm member 102 and the second balance arm member 104 on the opposite side to the end portions to which the interlocking pins 100 of the arm members are fixed are rectangular through holes having the same shape so as to communicate with each other. A sliding guide hole 94 is formed.

  The first balance arm member 102 configured as described above is disposed by being axially attached to a fixed member 98 disposed in the printer 32 by a shaft pin 96 at a predetermined position in the middle of the arm material. Further, similarly, the second balance arm member 104 is disposed by being axially attached to a fixed member 98 disposed in the printer 32 with a shaft pin 96 at a predetermined position in the middle of the arm material.

  The first balance arm member 102 and the second balance arm member 104 pivotally attached to the fixing member 98 in this manner are overlapped so that the respective slide guide holes 94 communicate with each other. At the same time, it is left in the hole 94 so as not to fall out while passing through the interlocking pin 100A.

  In the recording medium ejecting apparatus shown in FIG. 5 configured as described above, for example, the entire balance operation mechanism mounted between one balance operation mechanism and the other balance operation mechanism, for example, the interlocking pin of one balance operation mechanism When 100 moves away from the discharge roll drive shaft 72 provided with the discharge roller 74 and the flange portion 76, the first balance arm member 102 rotates around the shaft pin 96 by a required angle.

  Then, the position of the interlocking pin 100A in the sliding guide hole 94 where the first balance arm member 102 and the second balance arm member 104 are connected is moved to the discharge roll drive shaft 72 side, whereby the second balance arm The member 104 rotates about the shaft pin 96 in the opposite direction to the first balance arm member 102 by the same angle, and the corresponding discharge rollers 74 and 4 (here, four) pinch rollers 82 are in contact with each other. All the flange portions 76 move so as to be separated by the same distance.

  That is, in the recording medium discharging apparatus provided with the overall balance operation mechanism, when one set of pinch rollers 82 moves with respect to each discharging roller 74 and flange portion 76, the other set of pinch rollers 82 is also equivalent. Therefore, all the pairs of pinch rollers 82 are always located at the same distance from each corresponding discharge roller 74 and flange portion 76 by moving relative to each discharge roller 74 and flange portion 76. become.

  As a result, when discharging the thick paper, the flange portions 76 are elastically deformed by the pinch pressure with which each pinch roller 82 presses the thick paper, and the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of each pinch roller 82 and the corresponding discharge roller 74 outside. The distance from the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the discharge roller 74 formed to have an outer diameter larger than the diameter coincides between all the pinch rollers 82 and the discharge rollers 74.

  Next, still another configuration example of the recording medium discharging apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In the recording medium discharging apparatus shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the discharge roller assembly 68 is configured by installing a plurality (two in this case) of discharge rollers 74 as rubber rollers on the discharge roll drive shaft 72 at predetermined intervals. . Each discharge roller 74 is integrally formed with a flange portion 76 (corrugation member) having a truncated cone shape and an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the discharge roller 74 at both ends in the rotation axis direction.

  In the recording medium discharging apparatus shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the discharging pinch roller assembly 70 corresponding to the two discharging rollers 74 of the discharging roller assembly 68 is provided with a balance operation mechanism.

  This balance operation mechanism is configured by applying a crank mechanism, and includes a first arm member 106 and a second arm member 108. The first arm member 106 is provided with a pair of support projecting pieces 80 projecting in a substantially inverted U shape at one end of the long plate-like arm material. A shaft rod 82A is pivotally mounted between the pair of support projecting pieces 80 to support the pinch roller 82. Each pinch roller 82 is disposed so as to make rolling contact with the corresponding discharge roller 74.

  Similarly, the second arm member 108 is provided with a pair of support projecting protrusions 80 protruding in a substantially front inverted U shape at one end of the long plate-like arm material. A shaft rod 82A is pivotally mounted between the pair of support projecting pieces 80 to support the pinch roller 82.

  The first arm member 106 and the second arm member 108 pierce corresponding shaft holes so as to communicate with the end portions of the long plate-like arm members on the side opposite to the support projecting piece 80, After the shaft pin 110 is inserted into the communicating shaft hole, the tip of the shaft pin 110 is fixed to the link holding bracket 112, whereby the first arm member 106, the second arm member 108, Is pivoted freely.

  One end of a long plate-like link member 114 is pivotally attached to the first arm member 106 by a shaft pin 118 in the vicinity of the support projection piece 80 separated from the shaft pin 110 by a predetermined distance. At the same time, one end portion of the long plate-like link member 116 is pivotally attached to the second arm member 108 by the shaft pin 118 in the vicinity of the support projection piece 80 separated from the shaft pin 110 by a predetermined distance.

  In this way, the link member 114 and the link member 116, each of which is pivotally attached at one end, drills a shaft hole that communicates with the other end overlapped, and the interlocking pin 122 is pivoted to the overlapped shaft hole. Insert. Further, the distal end portion of the interlocking pin 122 is loosely inserted into the sliding guide hole 120 that is a linear long hole along the radial direction centering on the shaft pin 110.

  The interlock pin 122 is formed to have a diameter slightly smaller than the inner width of the slide guide hole 120 so as to be slidable in the slide guide hole 120, and the interlock pin 122 and the slide guide hole 120. The link member 114 and the link member 116 are configured to interlock with each other with the required high accuracy.

  Further, in this balance operation mechanism, a compression coil spring 88 is installed between the flat surface of the support projection piece 80 of the first arm member 106 and the fixing member of the image forming apparatus main body 30 to support the second arm member 108. A compression coil spring 88 is installed between the flat surface of the projecting piece 80 and the fixing member of the image forming apparatus main body 30, and the respective pinch rollers 82 are pressed against the respective discharge rollers 74 and flange portions 76 via cardboard. The pinch pressure to be urged is set to a predetermined low pinch pressure that does not allow corrugation streaks or the like on the cardboard.

  In the balance operation mechanism configured as described above, for example, when the pinch roller 82 of the first arm member 106 moves away from the discharge roller 74 and the flange portion 76, the first arm member 106 is centered on the shaft pin 110. To the required angle.

  Then, the link member 114 pivotally attached to the first arm member 106 with the shaft pin 118 moves the interlocking pin 122 in the sliding guide hole 120 in conjunction with the first arm member 106. As a result, the link member 116 connected to the link member 114 by the interlocking pin 122 is moved.

  When the link member 116 is moved, the second arm member 108 connected to the link member 116 by the shaft pin 118 rotates about the shaft pin 110 by the same angle in the opposite direction to the first arm member 106. Then, the pinch roller 82 is moved away from the discharge roller 74 and the flange portion 76 by the same distance.

  That is, in this balance operation mechanism, when one pinch roller 82 moves with respect to the discharge roller 74 and the flange portion 76 by the elastic repulsive force of the thick paper as shown in FIG. By moving relative to the flange portion 76, the two pinch rollers 82 are always positioned at the same distance from the corresponding discharge roller 74 and flange portion 76.

  Accordingly, when discharging the thick paper, the flange portion 76 formed to have an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the discharge roller 74 is elastically deformed by the pinch pressure with which each pinch roller 82 presses the thick paper, and the outer periphery of the pinch roller 82 is rotated. The distance between the contact surface and the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the discharge roller 74 is averaged, and all the pinch rollers 82 and the discharge rollers 74 are matched.

  Therefore, the balance operation mechanism shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 can provide the same effects as those of the recording medium ejecting apparatus shown in FIGS.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various other configurations can be taken without departing from the gist of the present invention.

1 is an overall schematic configuration diagram illustrating an internal configuration of an image forming apparatus including a recording medium discharging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a main part of a recording medium discharging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a front view of a schematic configuration showing a main part in a state where a cardboard is being transported by the recording medium discharging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration side view showing a main part in a state where a cardboard is being conveyed by the recording medium discharging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic structure front view which shows the principal part of the recording medium discharge apparatus of another structure concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic structure front view which shows the principal part of the recording medium discharge apparatus of another structure concerning embodiment of this invention. FIG. 10 is a schematic front view illustrating a main part in a state where a thick paper is being transported by a recording medium discharging apparatus of still another configuration according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the paper discharge apparatus paper feeder provided with the corrugation means as a comparative example. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which conveys a cardboard with the paper discharge apparatus paper supply apparatus provided with the corrugation means as a comparative example.

Explanation of symbols

30 Image forming apparatus main body 32 Printer 38 Paper discharge tray 50 Paper feed section 52 Registration section 54 Transfer section 56 Transport section 58 Fixing section 60 Discharge section 62 Reversing apparatus section 64 Image forming unit 68 Discharge roller assembly 70 Discharge pinch roller assembly 72 Discharge roll Drive shaft 74 Discharge roller 76 Flange portion 78 Support member 80 Bearing projection piece 82 Pinch roller 82A Axis rod 84 Bearing projection piece 86 Axis pin 90 First arm member 92 Second arm member 94 Sliding guide hole 96 Axis pin 98 Fixing member 100 interlocking pin 100A interlocking pin 102 first balance arm member 104 second balance arm member 106 first arm member 108 second arm member 110 shaft pin 112 link holding bracket 114 link member 116 link member 118 shaft pin 120 sliding guide hole 122 Interlocking pin

Claims (5)

A discharge roller assembly configured by integrally disposing a plurality of discharge rollers and a plurality of corrugation members formed to have an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the discharge rollers on the discharge roll drive shaft;
Each pinch roller pivotally attached to each discharge roller via a sheet-like recording medium is urged and pressed with a predetermined pinch pressure so that the sheet-like recording medium is pressed against the discharge roller and corrugation. A discharge pinch roller assembly configured to convey the sheet-like recording medium by rotating the discharge roll drive shaft in a state of being sandwiched between a member for use and the pinch roller;
A balance operation mechanism that moves the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the pinch roller while maintaining a parallel state that is equidistant from the rotation axis of the discharge roll drive shaft;
A recording medium discharging apparatus comprising:   The balance operation mechanism is configured such that the base end side of the support member is pivotally attached to the fixing member of the apparatus main body, and the pinch roller is pivotally attached to the support projecting piece provided on the free end side of the support member. The recording medium discharging apparatus according to claim 1. The balance operating mechanism;
An intermediate portion of the first arm member that rotatably supports the pinch roller at one end portion is pivotally attached to the fixed member,
An intermediate portion of the second arm member that rotatably supports the pinch roller at one end portion is pivotally attached to the fixed member,
Sliding guide holes are formed in the end portions of the first arm member and the second arm member on the opposite side of the pinch rollers, and the sliding guide holes are communicated with each other. An outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the pinch roller that is pivotally attached to the first arm member, and the pinch roller that is pivotally attached to the second arm member by arranging the interlocking pin so as to penetrate in a state of overlapping with each other. 2. The recording medium discharging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the recording medium is moved so as to be equidistant from a rotation axis of the discharge roll drive shaft. The balance operating mechanism;
The other end portion of the first arm member that rotatably supports the pinch roller at one end portion is pivotally attached to the link holding bracket with a shaft pin,
The other end portion of the second arm member that rotatably supports the pinch roller at one end portion is coaxially attached to the link holding bracket with an axial pin,
The other end of the link member with one end pivotally attached to the intermediate portion of the first arm member and the other end of the link member pivotally attached to the intermediate portion of the second arm member with an interlocking pin. Axis axially,
A part of the interlocking pin is slidably inserted into a sliding guide hole drilled in the link holding bracket, whereby an outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the pinch roller pivotally attached to the first arm member; 2. The outer peripheral rolling contact surface of the pinch roller that is pivotally attached to the second arm member is configured to move while maintaining a state of being equidistant from the rotation axis of the discharge roll drive shaft. The recording medium discharge device according to claim.   An image forming apparatus comprising the recording medium discharging apparatus according to claim 1.

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