JP2007254075A - Sheet feeding device and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet feeding device and an image forming device capable of confirming display of an upper limit of loading without pulling out it until the whole area of a loading surface of a sheet storage part is not exposed. <P>SOLUTION: The sheet feeding device has a paper feeding tray 20 drawably attached to a device body and capable of loading the sheet; side fences 25, 26 for restricting a position at a side perpendicular to a drawing out direction of the paper feeding tray 20 of the loaded sheet S; and a display part 30 for displaying a sheet loading upper limit value provided on a front surface in the paper feeding tray drawing out direction of the side fences 25, 26. The display part 30 is provided on an inclination part of the side fences 25, 26. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-179232 JP-A-4-243744 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-207209 JP-A-11-91956 JP 2004-315231 A

  As disclosed in Patent Document 1, a sheet storage unit of a conventional sheet cassette or sheet tray has a fence (stacked) that positions a stacking surface on which sheets are stacked and a side position of stacked sheets. A side fence that is parallel to the sheet feeding direction, and an end fence that is orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction and that is provided on the side opposite to the sheet feeding unit side.

  In addition, the sheet storage portion can be moved between a position where the sheet storage portion is stored inside the image forming apparatus main body and a position where the sheet can be pulled out from the main body and replenished with the sheet. There are a type that feeds sheets from the same direction as the paper cassette pull-out direction, and a type that feeds sheets from a direction orthogonal to the pull-out direction, as disclosed in Patent Document 3.

  Furthermore, when stacking sheets on the sheet storage unit, an upper limit that can be stored in the sheet storage unit is defined, and in Patent Document 4, an upper limit visual recognition unit is displayed on the side fence so that the user can visually recognize the stacking upper limit. . 7 corresponds to FIG. 7 of Patent Document 5, but a stacking upper limit display 52 that can also be visually recognized is provided on the side fence 51 of the paper feed tray 50 described here.

  In the case of a device in which the pulling-out direction of the sheet storage unit and the paper feeding direction are orthogonal to each other, even if the user pulls out the sheet storage unit and replenishes the sheet with the rear end of the sheet storage unit held by the main body, the upper limit of stacking is Visibility is ensured by providing a stacking upper limit visual recognition on the side fence disposed on the opposite side (back side) to the sheet container pulling direction so that it can be visually recognized.

However, since the side fence is not exposed unless the sheet storage portion is fully pulled out, it is difficult to visually recognize the upper limit of stacking.
Also, in the case of a device in which the sheet storage unit is pulled out in the same direction as the paper feeding direction, if the stacking upper limit display unit is provided on the side fence, the side fence can be Since it is difficult to check the display unit for the upper limit of loading, the user should remove the sheet storage unit completely from the main body and change the orientation of the sheet storage unit by about 90 degrees to check the display unit of the fence. However, if the user does not look in from the side in a state where the sheet is replenished or the rear end of the sheet storage portion is held by the apparatus main body, the display portion of the fence cannot be confirmed, so that the operability is poor.

  Further, since there is no obstacle (for example, a side fence in a device in which the drawing direction of the sheet storage unit and the paper feeding direction are orthogonal) in the direction in which the sheet is inserted into the sheet storage unit, the sheet storage unit is pulled out to the middle, for example, from the gap It is also possible to insert. Then, there is a possibility that the display of the upper limit of loading of the side fence may not be confirmed, and there is a possibility that the problem of loading exceeding the upper limit of loading may occur.

  In addition, when the sheets are stacked beyond the upper limit of the side fence, the display unit is hidden by the sheets, and therefore the user cannot recognize whether the appropriate number of sheets is stacked when the sheet storage unit is mounted on the apparatus. There is a fear.

  The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of confirming the display of the upper limit of stacking without solving the above-described conventional problems and pulling out until the entire stacking surface of the sheet storage portion is exposed.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a sheet storage unit that is detachably attached to the apparatus main body and can stack sheets, and a regulation that regulates the position of the stacked sheet on the side orthogonal to the sheet storage unit pull-out direction. A sheet feeding apparatus is proposed, comprising: a member; and the sheet stacking upper limit value display unit provided in front of the regulating member in the sheet storage unit pull-out direction.

  According to the present invention, the front surface in the sheet storage portion pull-out direction of the regulating member is an upright surface extending in the sheet stacking direction, and is continuous from the upright surface upward from the front side to the back side in the sheet storage portion pull-out direction. It is effective that the sheet stacking upper limit display unit is provided on the inclined surface.

  Furthermore, the present invention has a sheet feeding portion that feeds the sheet from the sheet accommodating portion from the front side in the pulling direction of the sheet accommodating portion, and is in front of the sheet accommodating portion pulling direction from the regulating member, It is effective that the front walls provided at both ends of the sheet feeding unit are formed to be inclined downward from the front side in the sheet storage unit pulling direction to the back side.

Furthermore, the present invention is effective when the top of the side wall is higher than the top of the restricting member.
Furthermore, the present invention is effective when the restricting member restricts both sides of the sheets stacked in the sheet accommodating portion in parallel with the sheet conveying direction.

Furthermore, the present invention is effective when the regulating member is perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction and regulates the rear end of the sheet stacked in the sheet accommodating portion.
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes an image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising the sheet feeding device.

  According to the present invention, the display unit can be visually recognized from the same direction as the sheet drawing direction by providing the sheet stacking upper limit value display unit on the side surface of the regulating member on the front side in the sheet storage unit drawing direction. Further, the visibility is maintained because the display is not hidden even when sheets are stacked. Furthermore, by providing the display portion on the slope, the scale of the upper limit display for loading can be widened. Furthermore, the side wall provided in front of the inclined surface of the restricting member is inclined downward from the front side in the sheet storage portion pulling direction toward the far side, so that the visibility of the inclined surface of the restricting member can be maintained.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing an example of a dandem type image forming apparatus composed of a color printer. The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has an image forming unit 1 at the center and a sheet at the lower part of the image forming unit 1. A paper feeding unit 2 as a feeding device is provided.

  The image forming unit 1 includes a plurality of drum-shaped photoconductors 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d configured as image carriers, and toner images of different colors are formed on the respective photoconductors. The In the illustrated example, a yellow toner image, a cyan toner image, a magenta toner image, and a black toner image are formed on the surfaces of the photoreceptors 3a to 3d, respectively. The photoconductors 3a to 3d are arranged in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval, and an intermediate transfer belt 4 configured as an intermediate transfer body is arranged facing the lower part of the photoconductors 3a to 3d. A drum may be used as the intermediate transfer member, but in the illustrated example, an endless belt that is wound around a plurality of support rollers 5 and 6 and driven in the direction of the arrow is used.

  Around the photosensitive member 3, a charging device 7 for charging the surface of the photosensitive member, an exposure device 8 for irradiating the photosensitive member surface with laser light with image information, an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member 3 by exposure. A developing device 9 that visualizes an image, a transfer device 10 that is arranged to face the photoconductor 3 via the intermediate transfer belt 4, and toner that remains on the surface of the photoconductor 3 after being transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 4 is removed and collected. A cleaning device 11 is provided.

  When image formation is started in such an image forming apparatus, the photoreceptor 3 is rotated in the clockwise direction in the figure, and at this time, the surface of the photoreceptor 3 is charged to a predetermined polarity by the charging device 7. Next, the charged surface is irradiated with laser light based on image information from the exposure device 8, whereby an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoreceptor 3. The electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 3 is visualized as a toner image by the developing device 9, and the toner image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 4 by the transfer device 10.

  At the time of color image formation, the above-described image forming operation is performed on all the photoreceptors 3, whereby the yellow toner image, cyan toner image, magenta toner image, and black toner image respectively formed on the photoreceptors 3 a to 3 d are intermediate. The images are sequentially transferred onto the transfer belt 4 in a superimposed manner. Further, the image forming apparatus is provided with a secondary transfer roller 12 facing the support roller 6 with the intermediate transfer belt 4 interposed therebetween.

  On the other hand, a paper feed unit 2 disposed below the image forming unit 1 has a paper feed tray 20 as a sheet storage unit on which sheets S made of unused transfer paper or resin film are stacked, and the paper feed tray 20. A sheet feeding roller 21 that feeds the sheets S stacked thereon, a friction pad 22 as a separating unit that separates the multi-feed sheets into one sheet, a re-transport runway 23 that is used when double-sided images are formed, and the like are provided. The sheet feeding tray 20 of this example can be pulled out from the image forming apparatus main body in the direction of arrow P to perform sheet replenishment or the like. At this time, the friction pad 22 and the re-transporting path 23 are pulled out together with the sheet feeding tray 20. The roller 21 remains on the image forming apparatus main body side.

  The sheet S fed from the sheet feeding unit 2 is sent out toward the registration roller 13, and the leading end of the sheet S is abutted against the registration roller 13 whose rotation has stopped. Thus, after the sheet S is aligned, the registration roller 13 causes the color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 4 to coincide with the leading end of the sheet S at the secondary transfer portion provided with the secondary transfer roller 12. The rotation is resumed at a proper timing, and the sheet S is sent out toward the secondary transfer portion.

  The sheet S on which the unfixed toner image is transferred in the secondary transfer unit is sent to the fixing unit 15, and after the unfixed toner image is fixed on the sheet S, it is discharged to the paper discharge tray 16. The transfer residual toner adhering to the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 4 after the toner image is transferred is removed by a belt cleaner 17.

Next, the paper feed tray 20 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the paper feed tray 20 taken out from the image forming main body. The paper feed tray 20 was placed with a placement portion 24 on which the sheet S is placed, and side fences 25 and 26 as positioning members that position both sides of the sheet S placed on the placement portion 24. An end fence 27 as a restricting member for positioning the rear end of the sheet S is provided.

  The left and right side fences 25 and 26 are movable in conjunction with each other in a direction in which the interval is narrowed and a direction in which the distance is increased by a known link mechanism or the like, and the end fence 27 is opposite to the sheet feeding direction and the feeding direction. It can be moved in any direction. With this configuration, the sheet feed tray 20 can stack a plurality of sizes of sheets S on the placement unit 24. Further, the side fences 25 and 26 are arranged on the front side of the stacking unit in order to realize stable sheet feeding from a small size to a large size.

  By the way, if the sheet tray 20 stacks the sheets S exceeding the upper limit, not only does the sheet feeding performance be disturbed but also the sheet feeding unit 2 may be damaged. Therefore, an upper limit of the sheets S that can be stacked is determined. Yes. In view of this, the sheet tray 20 of this embodiment is provided with a display unit 30 on the side fences 25 and 26 for displaying the upper limit height of the stack.

  The side fences 25 and 26 have fence upper surfaces 25a and 26a that extend in parallel with the direction in which the paper feed tray 20 is pulled out, and the paper feed tips rise from the surface of the mounting portion 24 to the fence upper surfaces 25a and 26a. The surface and the rear end of the paper feed are formed by falling surfaces 25d and 26d that fall from the fence upper surfaces 25a and 26a. The rising surfaces rise up almost right from the placement portion 24, and are continuous from the rising surfaces 25b and 26b toward the far side from the front side in the pulling-out direction P of the paper feed tray 20. It consists of inclined surfaces 25c and 26c that are inclined upward.

  A display unit 30 is integrally formed on each of the inclined surfaces 25c and 26c, which are the front surfaces when the most visible paper feed tray 20 of the side fences 25 and 26 formed as described above is pulled out from the main body of the image forming apparatus. Since the inclined surfaces 25c and 26c are inclined obliquely upward when the paper feed tray 20 is pulled out, the inclined surfaces 25c and 26c are at an angle that is easy for the user who replenishes the sheet S to visually recognize. When the display unit 30 is provided on the front surface in the pull-out direction of the paper feed tray 20 as described above, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the sheet S is replenished with the paper feed tray 20 pulled out halfway with respect to the image forming apparatus. Can also be confirmed. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the slope display unit 30 can be sufficiently confirmed even when the sheet feeding tray 20 is completely pulled out from the image forming apparatus and viewed from directly above.

  By the way, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, since the sheet S is fed in the pulling direction, the display unit 30 is visually recognized when the front wall 28 on the near side in the pulling direction of the paper feed tray 20 has a shape indicated by a chain line. It may become an obstacle when doing. In view of this, by providing the front wall 28 on the front side in the pulling direction of the paper feed tray 20 with an inclination 28a in which the wall on the back side in the pulling direction of the paper feed tray 20 is provided, the viewing angle is widened and the display unit 30 is easily visible. Have a role. With this configuration, even when the sheet feeding tray 20 is pulled out halfway and the sheet S is replenished as shown in FIG. 4, the upper limit of stacking can be visually recognized from the front of the apparatus in the same direction as the pulling direction.

  Further, since the side fences 25 and 26 have a certain width, the display area of the display unit 30 provided on the inclined surfaces 25c and 26c can be secured. As a result, as shown in FIG. Since not only the first scale 31 whose upper limit is represented by a line but also the second scale 32 of a figure such as a lower triangle can be displayed together, the visibility is improved as compared with the case where only the first scale 31 is used. . In addition, although the display part 30 of the present Example was made into the 1st scale 31 and the 2nd scale 32, the display part 30 can be made into a shape suitably not only in this form, but since the display area can also be ensured. It is also possible to provide a plurality.

  The side fences 25 and 26 are provided on both sides of the paper feed tray 40, respectively. In the above-described embodiment, it has been described that the same display unit 30 is provided in each of them. However, the present invention is limited to this form. The same effect can be obtained by displaying only on one side fence 25.

As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Various modifications can be made.
For example, in the above embodiment, the display unit 30 is integrally formed on the side fences 25 and 26. However, the display unit 30 may be configured by attaching a seal member to the inclined surfaces 25c and 26c. The part 30 may be provided only on one of the side fences 25 and 26.

  When the paper feed tray 20 is pulled out from the apparatus main body, in the case of the paper feed unit 2 that pulls out in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the side fences 25 and 26, that is, in a direction parallel to the end fence 27, the end fence 27 is pulled out. A display unit 30 is provided in front of the direction. At this time, the end fence 27 is also provided with an upright surface extending right above the placement portion 24 and an inclined surface that is continuous from the upright surface and is inclined upward from the near side to the back side in the pulling direction of the placement portion 24. It is advantageous to provide the display unit 30 on the inclined surface.

1 is an overall schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view of the drawn paper feed tray. It is an expansion perspective view of the principal part of FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which a paper feed tray is pulled out partway. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus showing a state in which the paper feed tray is pulled out partway. It is a top view which shows the paper feed tray of the state pulled out completely. It is a description perspective view which shows the conventional paper feed tray.

Explanation of symbols

2 Paper feed unit 20 Paper feed tray 25, 26 Side fence 27 End fence 30 Display unit

Claims (7)

A sheet storage unit that is detachably mounted on the apparatus body and can stack sheets; and
A regulating member that regulates the position of the stacked sheet on the side orthogonal to the sheet container pulling direction;
The sheet stacking upper limit display unit provided on the front surface of the regulating member in the sheet storage unit pull-out direction;
A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:   The front surface of the regulating member in the sheet storage portion pull-out direction has an upright surface extending in the sheet stacking direction, and an inclined surface that is continuous from the upright surface and inclines upward from the front side in the sheet storage portion pull-out direction toward the back side. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet stacking upper limit value display unit is provided on the inclined surface.   A sheet feeding unit that feeds the sheet from the sheet storage unit from the front side in the pull-out direction of the sheet storage unit; The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein front walls provided at both ends are formed to be inclined downward from the front side in the sheet storage portion pull-out direction to the back side.   The sheet feeding device according to claim 3, wherein a top portion of the side wall is higher than a top portion of the regulating member.   3. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member regulates both sides of a sheet stacked in the sheet storage unit in parallel with a sheet conveying direction.   3. The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member regulates a rear end of the sheet stacked in the sheet storage unit perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising the sheet feeding device.

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