JP2008081259A - Image forming device and medium conveyance device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device capable of forming an image at a proper position of an object paper with a simple structure against such a trouble that a printing position may be shifted when a position of a paper cassette is arranged shifted from a predetermined position relative to an image forming device body. <P>SOLUTION: By arranging an adjustment plate 11 to which a side guide body 10 is fixed so as to engage with a rack part 42 provided to the image forming device body 40 through two idle gears 23, 24, the side guide body 10 moves in the opposite direction to the pushing direction of a paper cassette body 30. A fixing hole 92 for inserting a fixing pin 19 provided to a front guide 16 is formed on the adjustment plate 91 itself, and a fixing member 94 provided with an energizing means 95, such as a coil spring, is fixed between the adjustment plate 91 and a paper width detection member 33 so that the rotation of the paper width detection member 33 is interlocked with a move of the adjustment plate 91. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a medium conveying apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers, and facsimile machines include one or a plurality of recording medium cassettes in a paper feeding unit. The recording media carried out one by one from the recording medium cassette are sent to the image forming unit, and after an image is formed on the recording medium based on the read image information, the recording media are discharged out of the image forming apparatus.

  In general, in a recording medium cassette in such an image forming apparatus, positioning of the recording medium is performed by fixing both sides of the paper stored in the recording medium cassette with side guides so that the recording medium is not obliquely fed. Has been done.

  As disclosed in Patent Document 1, the conventional side guide is integrated or fixed with a pinion gear attached to a rotation fulcrum provided in the recording medium cassette, and left and right racks engaged with the pinion gear. It is composed of a pair of left and right side guides, a paper width detection mechanism that is linked to the side guides, and a fixed pin provided on the side guide body.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-2250

  In the positioning of the recording medium using the side guide described in Patent Document 1, when the recording medium is brought into contact with one guide and the other guide is moved in one guide direction, the one guide comes into contact with the recording medium. When the other guide is approached while the gap is left and a gap disappears between the guide and the recording medium and the resistance is felt, positioning of the recording medium is completed.

  However, in the image printing in the image forming apparatus employing the conventional side guide, the side guide is a central sheet reference with respect to the recording medium cassette, so that the recording medium cassette is in a predetermined position with respect to the image forming apparatus main body. When it is not inserted, there is a problem that the printing position is shifted.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image at an appropriate position on a recording medium by arranging the recording medium at an appropriate position. The purpose is to do.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an image forming apparatus that forms an image by conveying a medium from a medium cassette on which the medium according to the present invention is loaded includes a restriction member that restricts the medium loaded on the medium cassette, and a restriction member , A moving mechanism that engages with the moving mechanism, and the moving mechanism engages with the engaging portion and moves the regulating member when the medium cassette is inserted into the apparatus main body. It is characterized by doing.

  According to this configuration, the moving member slides the restricting member in conjunction with the operation of pushing the recording medium cassette. At this time, the regulating member moves from the position in the direction in which the recording medium is pushed into the fixed position to the position in which the recording medium is installed in the fixed position in conjunction with the operation in which the recording medium cassette is pushed in. And slide. Then, the recording medium on the recording medium cassette can be slid on the recording medium as the regulating member slides. The image forming apparatus can slide the recording medium on the recording medium cassette relative to the recording medium in conjunction with the operation of pushing the recording medium cassette. Even in such a case, the recording medium can be kept at a fixed position where the recording medium can be fed out in the conveyance path direction.

  According to such an image forming apparatus, the recording medium can be arranged at an appropriate position with a simple configuration, and an image can be formed at an appropriate position on the recording medium.

(First embodiment)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the element common to each drawing. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the side guide body 10. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the side guide moving unit 20 in the paper cassette body. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the side guide moving unit 20.

  The side guide body 10 is associated with an adjustment plate 11 that is movable in the paper cassette pushing direction, a pinion gear 13 that is rotatably attached to a rotation fulcrum 12 provided on the adjustment plate 11, and a pinion gear 13. The combined rack members 14 and 15, the front guide 16 and the rear guide 17 fixed to or integrated with the rack members 14 and 15, and the release lever 18 and the fixing member 19 attached to the front guide 16, respectively. Prepare.

  The rack members 14 and 15 are attached as shown in FIG. 1 so as to mesh with the pinion gear 13 attached to the rotation fulcrum 12 on the adjustment plate 11. The rack member 14 includes a front guide 16 that defines a paper width on the front end side in the paper cassette push-in direction, and one rack member 15 has a rear guide 17 that defines the paper width on the rear end side in the paper cassette push-in direction. It has.

  The front guide 16 includes a fixing member 19 that interlocks with the release lever 18 for fixing the sheet width by the side guide body 10.

  The front guide 16 and the rear guide 17 can be moved in the paper cassette pushing direction by operating the release lever 18 and separating the fixing member 19 from the fixing hole 32 provided in the cassette frame 31 shown in FIG. It becomes possible. That is, since the rack members 14 and 15 are meshed with the freely rotatable pinion gear 13, when one of the front guide 16 and the rear guide 17 is moved, the other guide is moved in the opposite direction, so that the sheet to be stored is stored. Fix the paper width according to the width size.

  Next, the side guide moving mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the side guide moving unit 20 includes an adjustment plate 11 and idle gears 23 and 24 attached to rotation fulcrums 21 and 22 provided in the paper cassette frame 31, respectively.

  A rack member 25 for engaging with the idle gear 23 is provided on the adjustment plate 11.

  The idle gear 24 includes a stopper mechanism (not shown), and is freely rotatable when the paper cassette body 30 is set in the image forming apparatus 40.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the adjustment plate 11 and the idle gear 23 attached to the rotation fulcrum 21 are installed adjacent to each other, and the rack portion 25 of the adjustment plate 11 and the gear portion of the idle gear 23 are engaged. . Further, since the idle gear 23 meshes with the idle gear 24 on the gear surface opposite to the adjustment plate 11, the adjustment plate 11 moves in the paper cassette push-in direction when the idle gear 24 rotates.

  Next, the operation principle of the side guide moving mechanism will be described with reference to FIG.

  The rack member 42 is attached to a later-described apparatus frame 41 of the image forming apparatus 40, and engages with the idle gear 24 provided in the sheet cassette body 30 when the sheet cassette body 30 is inserted into the image forming apparatus 40. To do.

  Further, the edge portion 42 a of the rack member 42 corresponds to the central sheet reference in the image forming apparatus 40.

  4A, the rack member 42 in which the paper cassette main body 30 is inserted into the image forming apparatus 40 and attached to the apparatus frame 41 (not shown) is engaged with the idle gear 24 provided in the paper cassette main body 30. FIG. It is a figure which shows the state which begins to do.

  On the other hand, FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the sheet cassette body 30 is located at a steady position with respect to the image forming apparatus 40.

  Note that a position that is an insertion position in the image forming apparatus of the recording medium cassette in which the recording medium is correctly conveyed to the conveyance path is defined as a steady position.

  As the paper cassette body 30 is inserted, the idle gear 24 is released from a stopper mechanism (not shown) and can freely rotate.

  The idle gear 24 rotates clockwise by engaging with the rack member 42, and moves the adjustment plate 11 in the direction opposite to the paper cassette pushing direction via the idle gear 23.

  When the paper cassette main body 30 is inserted into the image forming apparatus 40 and the paper cassette main body 30 is positioned at a steady position with respect to the image forming apparatus 40, that is, the rack member 42 starts engaging with the idle gear 24 and is not shown. If the distance that the rack member 42 moves in the direction opposite to the paper cassette pushing direction before the rack member 42 is completely stopped by the stopper member provided in the paper cassette body 30 is L (mm), the adjusting plate 11 Travels in the direction opposite to the paper cassette pushing direction is equal to L (mm).

  For example, if the edge 42a of the rack member 42 moves from a stopper member (not shown) to a point X (mm) with respect to the paper cassette push-in direction, the adjustment plate 11 moves in the direction opposite to the paper cassette push-in direction L. -X (mm) will be moved.

  Since the movement amount of the rack member 42 and the adjustment plate 11 is always equal, the center of the sheet and the center sheet reference are provided by arranging the center of the pinion gear 13 and the edge 42a of the rack member 42 on the same line. Can always be matched.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the center of the pinion gear 13 is the straight line A when the straight line AA ′ connecting the center points of the two rotation fulcrums 23 and 24 provided in the cassette frame 31 is used as a reference. By disposing it at a distance of L (mm) in the paper cassette push-in direction from -A`, it becomes possible to always match the center of the sheet with the center sheet reference.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the sheet cassette main body 30 to which the side guide moving mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

  The paper cassette main body 30 includes a cassette frame 31, a side guide main body 10, a paper width detection member 33, a tail guide 34, and a stacking plate (not shown) attached to a rotation fulcrum 35.

  The side guide body 10 is attached to the sheet feeding side of the cassette frame 31. At this time, the fixing member 19 formed of a vertically moving pin provided in the front guide 16 is fitted into a fixing hole 32 provided in the cassette frame 31.

  The paper width detecting member 33 is attached to the cassette frame 31 so as to be freely rotatable. The paper width detection member 33 is engaged with the rear guide 17 and can detect a predetermined paper width in conjunction with a paper width detection mechanism (not shown).

  The tail guide 34 is provided upstream in the paper carry-out direction, and guides the rear end of the paper. Further, it is connected to a paper length detection mechanism (not shown).

  A loading plate (not shown) rotates around a rotation fulcrum 35 provided on the cassette frame 31 and moves up and down by driving (not shown).

  When the user sets the paper in the paper cassette main body 30, the user operates the release lever 18 to release the fixing member 19 from the fixing hole 32 provided in the cassette frame 31, and either the front guide 16 or the rear guide 17 is set to the paper. Move it in the cassette pushing direction. Next, the paper is brought into contact with the side wall 36 of the cassette frame, and the tail guide 34 is set so as to come into contact with the rear end of the paper. Finally, either the front guide 16 or the rear guide 17 is moved until it abuts against the paper, and the paper width of the paper in the paper cassette pushing direction is fixed.

  At this time, the width of the set sheet in the cassette pushing direction is detected by the sheet width detecting member 33 connected to the rear guide 17, and the width in the direction perpendicular to the cassette pushing direction is set in the tail guide 34. It is detected by a connected paper width detection mechanism (not shown).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of the image forming apparatus 40 to which the side guide moving mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

  The image forming apparatus 40 includes a paper feed unit 60, an image forming unit 70, and a paper discharge unit 80.

  The sheet feeding unit 60 is disposed below the image forming apparatus 40 and includes a sheet cassette body 30, a rack member 42, a sheet traveling path 43, and a sheet cassette detection member 50 provided in the apparatus frame 41.

  The image forming unit 70 is disposed above the sheet feeding unit 60, and an exposure unit 44, a developing unit 45, and a transfer unit 46 are disposed along the sheet traveling direction.

  The paper discharge unit 80 includes a paper travel path 48 and an apparatus upper cover 49.

  The paper fed from the paper cassette main body 30 to which the side guide moving mechanism is applied passes through the paper traveling path 43.

  On the latent image formed by the exposure unit 44, a developing unit 45 develops a toner image. The toner image is transferred onto the sheet by a bias voltage between the developing unit 45 and the transfer unit 46 when the sheet passes between the developing unit 45 and the transfer unit 46.

  Next, the toner image passes through the fixing unit 47 and the toner image is fixed on the paper. The paper passes through the paper traveling path 48 and is discharged onto the apparatus upper cover 49.

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus 40 to which the side guide moving mechanism of the first embodiment is applied, even if the mounting position of the paper cassette main body 30 is moved with respect to the apparatus frame 41, the center of the set paper is Therefore, it always coincides with the central paper standard, and printing at an accurate printing position becomes possible.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 7, the same reference numerals as those in FIG.

  The object of the present embodiment is to fix the distance between the side guides by providing a fixing hole for fitting with a fixing member that moves in conjunction with the release lever on a plate that is integral with the adjustment plate.

  The side guide main body 90 is engaged with the adjustment plate 91 movable in the paper cassette pushing direction, the pinion gear 13 that is freely attached to the rotation fulcrum 12 provided on the adjustment plate 91, and the pinion gear 13. Rack members 14 and 15, a front guide 16 and a rear guide 17 fixed to or integrated with the rack members 14 and 15, and an opening lever 18 and a fixing member 19 attached to the front guide 16, respectively. ing.

  The rack members 14 and 15 are attached as shown in FIG. 7 so as to mesh with the pinion gear 13 attached to the rotation fulcrum 12 on the adjustment plate 91. The rack member 14 includes a front guide 16 that defines the paper width on the front end side with respect to the paper cassette push-in direction, and one rack member 15 includes a rear guide 17 that defines the paper width on the rear end side in the paper cassette push-in direction. It has.

  The front guide 16 includes a fixing member 19 that interlocks with the release lever 18 for fixing the sheet width by the side guide body 10.

  A fixing hole 92 for fitting with the fixing member 19 is provided on the adjustment plate 91.

  The front guide 16 and the rear guide 17 can be moved in the paper cassette pushing direction by operating the release lever 18 and separating the fixing member 19 from the fixing hole 92 provided in the adjustment plate 91. That is, since the rack members 14 and 15 mesh with the freely rotatable pinion gear 13, when either the front guide 16 or the rear guide 17 is moved, the other guide is moved in the opposite direction, and the paper to be stored is stored. The paper width of the paper is fixed according to the width size.

  When the adjustment plate 91 moves relative to the paper cassette body 30, the fixing member 19 provided in the front guide 16 moves by the same amount as the adjustment plate 91, so that the distance between the front guide 16 and the rear guide 17 is always kept constant. Be drunk.

  Normally, the distance between the front guide 16 and the rear guide 17 changes as the paper cassette body 30 is inserted and removed. For this reason, the sheet may be pinched between the front guide 16 and the rear guide 17 and be damaged. Further, the distance between the front guide 16 and the rear guide 17 may become larger than the paper width when the paper cassette body 30 is inserted and removed. In that case, there is a possibility that skew may occur because the sheet cannot be guided accurately.

  However, according to the image forming apparatus 40 to which the side guide of the second embodiment is applied, the fixing member 19 provided in the front guide 16 moves by the same amount as the adjustment plate 91, so the front guide 16 and the rear guide The distance between 17 is always kept constant regardless of the insertion / extraction of the paper cassette body 30, so that the paper can be prevented from being damaged or skewed, and printing can be performed at an accurate printing position. It becomes possible.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIGS. 8 and 9, the same reference numerals as those in the drawings referred to so far indicate substantially the same parts.

  In the present embodiment, paper width detection is performed in which paper width detection is accurately performed by urging a fixing member engaged with the paper width detection member in a direction in which the fixing member such as a coil spring is engaged with the paper width detection member. The purpose is to provide a mechanism.

  The paper width detection mechanism includes a paper width detection member 33, a rotation fulcrum 93 attached on the cassette frame 31, a fixing member 94, an urging member 95, and an adjustment plate 91.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the adjustment plate 91 is engaged with a fixing member 94 that is rotatably attached to the rotation fulcrum 93 of the cassette frame 31. Further, the fixing member 94 is engaged with a paper width detecting member 33 that is rotatably attached to the rotation fulcrum 93 of the cassette frame 31 and is engaged with the paper width detecting member 33 by an urging member 95 such as a coil spring. Is biased in the direction.

  The operation of the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The paper is set in the paper cassette body 30 as in the first and second embodiments. At this time, the rear guide 17 is engaged with the paper width detecting member 33 to operate a paper width detecting mechanism (not shown).

  At this time, the adjustment plate 91 and the fixing member 94 are in the initial states of 91A and 94A, respectively, represented by solid lines in FIG. In other words, the adjustment plate 91 pushes the end of the fixing member 94 toward the paper width detection member 33, so that the fixing member 94 is separated from the paper detection member 33, and the paper detection member 33 is freely rotatable. Yes.

  Next, when the paper cassette main body 30 is set in front of the apparatus frame 41 by X (mm), the adjustment plate 91 and the rear guide 17 are moved from the paper width detection member 33 to X ( mm).

  In the state where the adjustment plate 91 is separated from the paper width detecting member 33, that is, in the state of 91B shown by the dotted line in FIG. 9, the fixing member 94 is moved by the biasing member 95 such as a coil spring. The fixing member 94 is engaged with the paper width detecting member 33, and the paper width detecting member 33 cannot be rotated.

  Therefore, according to the third embodiment, even if the position of the rear guide 17 in the paper cassette body 30 varies with the change in the position of the paper cassette body 30 with respect to the apparatus frame 41, the paper width detection member 33 is correctly The paper width can be detected, and accurate printing is possible.

  Each embodiment described above is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this, and each configuration can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. is there.

  The present invention can be applied not only to image forming apparatuses such as printer apparatuses, but also to copiers or facsimile apparatuses, and multifunction machines having various functions such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. It is.

It is a perspective view which shows a side guide main body. FIG. 6 is an enlarged top view of a side guide moving part in the paper cassette body. It is sectional drawing of a side guide moving part. FIG. 5 is a top view of a side guide moving unit for explaining an operation when a paper cassette body is inserted into an image forming apparatus. It is a top view of a paper cassette body to which a side guide moving mechanism is applied. It is sectional drawing of the image forming apparatus to which a side guide moving mechanism is applied. It is a perspective view which shows a side guide main body. It is a perspective view which shows the relationship between the adjustment board concerning 3rd Embodiment, and a paper width | variety detection member. It is a top view showing the relationship between the adjustment plate and the paper width detection member, and is a diagram for explaining the operation of the adjustment plate and the paper width detection member according to the third embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10, 90 Side guide body 11, 91 Adjustment plate 12, 21, 22, 35, 93 Rotation fulcrum 13 Pinion gears 14, 15, 25, 42 Rack member 16 Front guide 17 Rear guide 18 Release lever 19, 94 Fixing member 20 Side Guide moving section 23, 24 Idle gear 30 Paper cassette body 31 Cassette frame 32, 92 Fixing hole 33 Paper width detecting member 34 Tail guide 36 Cassette frame side wall 40 Image forming apparatus 41 Apparatus frame 42a Rack member edge 43, 48 Paper Traveling path 44 Exposure unit 45 Development unit 46 Transfer unit 47 Fixing unit 49 Upper cover 50 Cassette detection member 60 Paper feed unit 70 Image forming unit 80 Paper discharge unit 95 Biasing member

Claims (6)

An image forming apparatus that forms an image by conveying a medium from a medium cassette on which the medium is loaded,
A restricting member for restricting the medium loaded in the medium cassette;
A moving mechanism for moving the regulating member;
An engaging portion provided in the apparatus main body and engaged with the moving mechanism;
The image forming apparatus, wherein the moving mechanism engages with the engaging portion and moves the restricting member when the medium cassette is inserted into the apparatus main body.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the restriction member restricts the medium in a direction orthogonal to a medium conveyance direction. The moving mechanism is
A first moving member comprising a gear engaged with each of the regulating members;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a second moving member that connects the first moving member and the engaging portion.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first moving member is provided with a position restricting portion that fixes the restricting member, and the restricting member moves in conjunction with the first moving member. . A medium width detecting mechanism for detecting the width of the medium loaded in the medium cassette;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the medium width detection mechanism is fixed by a first moving member. A medium conveying apparatus for conveying a medium from a medium cassette on which the medium is loaded,
A restricting member for restricting the medium loaded in the medium cassette;
A moving mechanism for moving the regulating member;
An engaging portion provided in the main body and engaged with the moving mechanism;
The medium transporting apparatus, wherein the moving mechanism engages with the engaging portion and moves the restricting member with the insertion of the medium cassette into the apparatus main body.