JP2011051697A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image recording device which allows individual trays to move independently, while minimizing the number of mounted driving sources. <P>SOLUTION: A second tray 21 is slidably supported on an upper part of a main tray 20. A slide guide 34 is slidably supported between a third position and a fourth position on the upper part of the second tray 21. The second tray 21 is not drivingly transmitted when the slide guide 34 is located at the third position and the fourth position, and is drivingly transmitted when the slide guide 34 is located at a fifth position between the third and fourth positions. The transmission of driving force to the second tray 21 and the slide guide 34 is selectively switched by a switching section 260. The drive transmission to the second tray 21 is carried out by engagement between a planetary gear 202 and a first rack gear 201. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that records an image on a sheet, and more particularly to an image recording apparatus configured such that a sheet that has passed through an image recording unit is conveyed again to the image recording unit through another path.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image recording apparatus capable of recording an image on both sides of a sheet is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image recording apparatus of an ink jet recording system. In the image recording apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a sheet fed from a main tray passes through a curved conveyance path (hereinafter referred to as “curved path”) and is conveyed to a recording unit disposed on the upper side of the main tray. The Then, an image is recorded on the front surface (first surface) in the recording unit. When single-sided image recording is performed, the sheet is discharged to the arrangement tray on the downstream side in the conveyance direction. When double-sided image recording is performed, the sheet on which the image has been recorded after passing through the recording unit is switched back on the downstream side in the conveyance direction with respect to the recording unit, and then is a double-sided sheet that is a guide member provided on the upper side of the main tray. It is again conveyed to the curved path while being guided by the upper surface of the tray. The sheet is conveyed through the curved path so that the back surface (second surface) faces the recording unit, and an image is recorded on the back surface of the recording unit.

  The double-sided tray is configured to be slidable along the main tray. When double-sided image recording is performed, the double-sided tray slides in a direction close to the curved path. As a result, a conveyance path for guiding the image-recorded sheet to the curved path again is formed.

  An image recording apparatus having a plurality of trays for stacking and storing sheets is known. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a cassette that can be used by being mounted on an image forming apparatus main body and can store sheets to be supplied to the image forming apparatus main body in a stacked state. The cassette described in Patent Document 2 includes two trays (a first tray and a second tray), and the first tray and the second tray are relatively moved in a direction in which the feeding tray can be switched by input power. Is done.

  As a specific process, the CPU of the image forming apparatus in which the cassette is mounted turns the tray switching motor forward when the current paper feed tray is the first tray and the designated paper is the second tray paper. The second tray is moved from the retracted position to the paper feeding position by driving. As a result, the paper feed tray is switched from the first tray to the second tray. On the other hand, when the current paper feed tray is the second tray and the designated paper is the paper in the first tray, the tray switching motor is driven in reverse to move the second tray from the paper feed position to the retracted position. As a result, the paper feed tray is switched from the second tray to the first tray.

JP 2008-247537 A JP 2008-297052 A

  In the image recording apparatus of Patent Document 1, a drive source for driving the double-sided tray is necessary. In the image forming apparatus in which the cassette of Patent Document 2 is mounted, a drive source for moving the first tray and the second tray relative to each other is necessary. In an image recording apparatus equipped with a first tray, a second tray, and a double-sided tray, a drive source for driving the double-sided tray and a relative movement of the first tray and the second tray or a movement of the first tray or the second tray And a drive source for making it necessary.

  That is, when a double-sided tray is mounted for double-sided printing, the required drive source increases, and when the number of trays for stacking and storing sheets increases, the required drive source increases. As the number of drive sources mounted on the image recording apparatus increases, there arises a problem that the cost of the image recording apparatus increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a means by which each tray can move independently while keeping the number of mounted drive sources small.

  (1) An image recording apparatus of the present invention includes an image recording unit that records an image on a sheet, a first tray that holds the sheet, and a sheet that is fed from the first tray to guide the sheet to the image recording unit. A first position that is provided on the upper side of the first conveyance path, holds a sheet, and is close to the first conveyance path so that the sheet can be fed to the first conveyance path; and the first tray A second tray movable to a second position separated from the first conveyance path so that a sheet can be fed from the first conveyance path to the first conveyance path, and provided on the upper side of the second tray. A third position adjacent to the first conveyance path so that the second conveyance path for guiding the passed sheet to the first conveyance path again and the first conveyance path are continuous, and the first tray or the second The first conveyance so that the sheet can be fed from the tray to the first conveyance path. A third tray movable to a fourth position spaced from the first tray, a drive source, a drive transmission switching mechanism that selectively switches transmission of drive force from the drive source to the second tray or the third tray, and A first drive transmission mechanism for transmitting drive from the drive transmission switching mechanism to the second tray; and a second drive transmission mechanism for transmitting drive from the drive transmission switching mechanism to the third tray. Drive transmission is cut off when the third tray is located at the third position and the fourth position, and the third tray is located at a fifth position between the third position and the fourth position. Sometimes the drive is transmitted to the second tray.

  Transmission of driving force from the driving source is selectively switched to the second tray or the third tray by the driving transmission switching mechanism. Therefore, the third tray does not move when the second tray moves, and the second tray does not move when the third tray moves.

  In the above-described configuration, the first drive transmission mechanism transmits the drive to the second tray only when the third tray is located at the fifth position. Therefore, the second tray does not move by mistake during single-sided printing or double-sided printing. As a result, the sheet fed from the first tray is prevented from being jammed in the apparatus, for example, by being blocked by the second tray that has moved to the first position by mistake.

  In the above-described configuration, the second tray is movable between the first position and the second position when the third tray is located at the fifth position. Thereafter, even if the third tray moves to a position other than the fifth position, the second tray can maintain the moved state. That is, the second tray can hold an arbitrary position between the first position and the second position regardless of whether the third tray is located between the third position and the fourth position.

(2) The image recording unit includes a carriage having a recording head for ejecting ink droplets on a sheet mounted on a lower surface and movable in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction. The drive transmission switching mechanism includes the carriage The first switching position for transmitting the driving force from the driving source to the first drive transmission mechanism and the second switching for transmitting the driving force from the driving source to the second drive transmission mechanism according to the movement position of A switching gear supported to be movable to a position may be provided.

  The driving force from the driving source is transmitted to either the first drive transmission mechanism or the second drive transmission mechanism according to the movement position of the carriage. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a drive source for each drive transmission mechanism.

(3) The first drive transmission mechanism includes: a rack gear provided on the second tray along a moving direction of the second tray; a planetary gear that is transmitted from the drive source and can mesh with the rack gear; A side plate that is provided along the rack gear in the third tray and separates the meshing between the planetary gear and the rack gear, and a connection hole that is formed in the side plate and that can mesh with the rack gear via the side plate. It may be provided.

  When the third tray is located at the fifth position, the planetary gear and the rack gear mesh with each other through the connection hole, and the driving force is transmitted from the first drive transmission mechanism to the second tray. The first drive transmission mechanism and the second tray are connected by meshing the planetary gear and the rack gear.

(4) The image recording apparatus of the present invention further includes a separation inclined plate that is inclined obliquely upward from the first tray to the first conveyance path, and when the third tray is located at the third position, The third tray is fitted with a guide member or the separation inclined plate forming the first transport path in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the third tray.

  The support for the third tray is performed in the moving direction of the second tray by the side plate described above. The fitting between the guide member or the separation inclined plate forming the first transport path and the third tray is a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the second tray. Therefore, the rigidity stronger than the rigidity supplemented only from the first tray is supplemented from the guide member or the separation inclined plate and the first tray to the third tray.

  According to the present invention, each tray can be moved independently while keeping the number of mounted drive sources small.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a multifunction machine 10 that is an example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer unit 11. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the paper feed cassette 78. FIG. 3A shows the second tray 21 arranged at the second position, and FIG. 3B shows the second tray 21 arranged at the first position. A second tray is shown. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the paper feed cassette 78 in which the slide guide 34 is arranged at the fourth position. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the paper feed cassette 78 in which the slide guide 34 is arranged at the third position. FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of the paper feed cassette 78 in which the slide guide 34 is disposed at the fifth position. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the switching unit 260, the first drive transmission mechanism, and the second drive transmission mechanism. FIG. 8 is a plan view and a longitudinal sectional view showing the configuration of the switching unit 260, the first drive transmission mechanism, and the second drive transmission mechanism, and FIG. 8A is a plan view when the switching unit 260 is at the second switching position. (B) is a longitudinal sectional view when the switching unit 260 is at the second switching position, (C) is a plan view when the switching unit 260 is at the first switching position, and (D) is a switching unit 260. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view when is a 1st switching position. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a movement control procedure performed by the control unit. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a movement control procedure performed by the control unit.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. The embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the embodiment of the present invention can be changed as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a multifunction machine 10 as an example of an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, the vertical direction 7 is defined with reference to a state in which the multifunction machine 10 is installed (the state shown in FIG. 1), and the side where the opening 13 is provided is the front side (front side). 8 is defined, and a left-right direction 9 is defined when the multifunction machine 10 is viewed from the front side (front side).

  The multifunction machine 10 is generally formed in a thin rectangular parallelepiped having a large width (length in the left-right direction 9) and depth (length in the front-rear direction 8) with respect to the height (length in the up-down direction 7). A printer unit 11 of an ink jet recording system is provided at the lower part of the multifunction machine 10. The multifunction machine 10 has various functions such as a facsimile function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a copy function. As a printer function, it has a double-sided image recording function. Note that functions other than the printer function are arbitrary.

  The printer unit 11 includes a casing (housing) 14 having an opening 13 formed in the front. Each component of the printer unit 11 is disposed in the casing 14. A storage chamber 16 is defined so as to continue from the opening 13 to the inside of the casing 14. A paper feed cassette 78 (see FIG. 2) is mounted in the storage chamber 16. In FIG. 1, the paper feed cassette 78 is not shown. The paper feed cassette 78 is configured to be insertable / removable in the front-rear direction 8 from the opening 13 into the casing 14. The paper feed cassette 78 includes a main tray 20 (an example of the first tray of the present invention) that can hold recording papers of various sizes (an example of the sheet of the present invention), and a second tray that can slide in the front-rear direction 8 above the main tray 20. 21 (an example of the second tray of the present invention).

[Configuration of Printer Unit 11]
Next, the configuration of the printer unit 11 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, illustration of the front side (the right side of the paper) of the paper feed cassette 78 is omitted. In addition to the paper feeding cassette 78, the printer unit 11 picks up recording paper from the paper feeding cassette 78 and feeds (feeds) the recording paper, and ink is applied to the recording paper fed by the feeding unit 15. Inkjet recording type recording unit 24 (an example of an image recording unit of the present invention) that discharges droplets to form an image on recording paper, a path switching unit 41, and a switching unit 260 (an example of a drive transmission switching mechanism of the present invention) 7 and FIG. 8). These are provided in the casing 14. The recording unit 24 is not limited to the ink jet method, and an electrophotographic method, a thermal recording method, or the like can be applied.

[Conveyance path 65]
Inside the printer unit 11, a conveyance path 65 is formed from the front end (rear side end) of the main tray 20 through the recording unit 24 to the paper discharge holding unit 79. The conveyance path 65 includes a curved path 65A (an example of a first conveyance path of the present invention) formed between the leading end of the main tray 20 and the recording unit 24, and a period between the recording unit 24 and the paper discharge holding unit 79. It is divided into the formed paper discharge path 65B. The paper discharge holding unit 79 may be configured integrally with the paper feed cassette 78 or may be fixed to the frame of the printer unit 11 or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the curved path 65 </ b> A is a curved shape extending from the vicinity of the upper end of the separation inclined plate 22 (an example of the separation inclined plate of the present invention) provided on the main tray 20 to the recording unit 24. Is the passage. The curved path 65A is partitioned by an outer guide member 18 and an inner guide member 19 (both examples of the guide member of the present invention) facing each other with a predetermined interval. The outer guide member 18 and the inner guide member 19, and the upper guide member 82, the lower guide member 83, the upper inclined guide member 32, and the lower inclined guide member 33, which will be described later, are all in the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. It extends in the left-right direction 9 in FIG.

  The paper discharge path 65B is partitioned by a lower guide member 82 and an upper guide member 83 provided on the downstream side in the transport direction (hereinafter simply referred to as “downstream side”) from the recording unit 24. Here, the conveyance direction refers to a direction (direction indicated by a two-dot chain line with an arrow in FIG. 2) in which the recording sheet is conveyed on the conveyance path 65 and a reverse conveyance path 67 described later. The paper discharge path 65B guides to the downstream side while supporting the lower surface of the image-recorded recording paper conveyed by the second conveying roller 62. A branch port 36 is formed on the downstream side of the downstream end portion of the lower guide member 82. During double-sided image recording, the recording sheet conveyed through the paper discharge path 65B is switched back downstream of the branch port 36 and then conveyed downward from the branch port 36.

  The lower guide member 82 has a narrow recess 85 that is long in the front-rear direction 8. The size and position of the recess 85 are designed so that an auxiliary roller 47 described later can be immersed in the recess 85. The upper guide member 83 is disposed above the lower guide member 82. The upper guide member 83 and the lower guide member 82 are arranged to face each other with a predetermined interval through which the recording paper can pass.

[Reverse conveying path 67]
A reverse conveyance path 67 (an example of the second conveyance path of the present invention) is formed inside the printer unit 11. The reverse conveyance path 67 is branched from the paper discharge path 65B at the branch port 36 and passes between the paper feed cassette 78 and the recording unit 24 arranged above the upstream side in the conveyance direction from the recording unit 24 ( Hereinafter, it is simply referred to as “upstream side”).

  The reverse conveyance path 67 is defined by an upper inclined guide member 32 having an inclined surface inclined obliquely downward and rearward from the branch port 36, and a lower inclined guide member 33. In the present embodiment, the upper inclined guide member 32 and the lower inclined guide member 33 define a part of the reverse conveyance path 67, specifically, the inclined path 67A on the branch port 36 side. The reverse conveyance path 67 is also partitioned by a slide guide 34 (an example of the third tray of the present invention) described later provided in the paper feed cassette 78. A linear straight path 67B on the curved path 65A side is defined by the upper surface of the slide guide 34 disposed at the guide position indicated by a broken line in FIG. That is, the reverse conveyance path 67 and the curved path 65A form a continuous path.

  Since the transport path 65 and the reverse transport path 67 are formed in this way, the recording paper fed from the main tray 20 by the feeding unit 15 is transported to the recording unit 24 through the curved path 65A. The recording paper that has passed through the recording unit 24 is conveyed to the paper discharge holding unit 79 through the paper discharge path 65B, or the conveyance path is switched by the path switching unit 41, and again through the reverse conveyance path 67. It is conveyed to the recording unit 24. The route switching unit 41 will be described later.

[Recording unit 24]
As shown in FIG. 2, the recording unit 24 is disposed above the paper feed cassette 78. The recording unit 24 mainly includes a carriage 40 (an example of a carriage according to the present invention), a recording head 39 (an example of a recording head according to the present invention), and a platen 42.

  The carriage 40 is reciprocated along a pair of guide rails (not shown) extending in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface (main scanning direction) in FIG. The guide rail is provided with a belt drive mechanism (not shown). The driving force of the motor is transmitted to the carriage 40 by the belt driving mechanism, and the carriage 40 is reciprocated. The recording head 39 is mounted on the carriage 40 and reciprocates together with the carriage 40. The recording head 39 is exposed as the lower surface of the carriage 40. A plurality of nozzles for ejecting fine ink droplets are formed on the lower surface of the recording head 39. A platen 42 is provided below the recording unit 24. The platen 42 supports the recording paper horizontally when image recording is performed by the recording unit 24. In the reciprocating movement process in the main scanning direction, the recording unit 24 discharges ink supplied from an ink cartridge (not shown) as fine ink droplets from a nozzle onto a recording sheet conveyed on the platen 42. Thereby, an image is recorded on the recording paper.

  Between the terminal end of the curved path 65 </ b> A and the recording unit 24, a first transport roller 60 (an example of the transport unit of the present invention) and a pinch roller 61 are provided. These are paired. The first conveying roller 60 and the pinch roller 61 pinch the recording sheet conveyed through the curved path 65 </ b> A and send it onto the platen 42. A second transport roller 62 and a spur roller 63 are provided between the recording unit 24 and the upstream end of the paper discharge path 65B. These are paired. The second conveying roller 62 and the spur roller 63 pinch the recorded recording sheet and further convey it to the downstream side (discharge holding unit 79 side). The first transport roller 60 and the second transport roller 62 are rotated by a rotational driving force transmitted from a transport motor (not shown).

[Feeding unit 15]
The feeding unit 15 is for conveying the recording paper stored in the paper feeding cassette 78 toward the curved path 65A, and includes a paper feeding roller 25, a paper feeding arm 26, and a drive transmission mechanism 27. ing. The paper feed roller 25 is disposed above the paper feed cassette 78. The paper feed roller 25 picks up the recording paper stored in the main tray 20 of the paper feed cassette 78 and feeds it to the curved path 65 </ b> A, and is rotatably supported at the tip of the paper feed arm 26. . The paper feed roller 25 is rotationally driven when the rotational force of a paper feed motor (an example of a drive source of the present invention, not shown) is transmitted via the drive transmission mechanism 27. The drive transmission mechanism 27 is pivotally supported by the paper feed arm 26 and is composed of a plurality of gears arranged in a straight line substantially along the extending direction of the paper feed arm 26. The paper feed roller 25 rotates around the base shaft 28 as a rotation center axis and can be pressed against the upper surface of the recording paper stored in the paper feed cassette 78.

[Route switching unit 41]
The route switching unit 41 will be described with reference to FIG. The path switching unit 41 is disposed near the branch port 36 in the paper discharge path 65B. As shown in FIG. 2, the path switching unit 41 includes a third conveyance roller 45, a spur roller 46, and a flap 49 having an auxiliary roller 47 and an auxiliary roller 48.

  The third transport roller 45 is provided on the downstream side of the lower guide member 82. The third transport roller 45 is fixed to a support shaft 44 extending in the left-right direction 8. The spur roller 46 is disposed above the third conveyance roller 45 and is pressed against the roller surface of the third conveyance roller 45 by its own weight or a spring. The third transport roller 45 and the spur roller 46 sandwich the recording paper sent from the second transport roller 62 and the spur roller 63. When the recording sheet enters the nip portion between the third conveying roller 45 and the spur roller 46, the recording sheet is nipped by the third conveying roller 45 and the spur roller 46, and the direction (discharge) corresponds to the rotation direction of the third conveying roller 45. It is conveyed to the paper holding unit 79 side or the reverse conveyance path 67 side.

  The upper guide member 83 is provided with a support shaft 87 that extends in the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2 (the left-right direction 9 in FIG. 1). The support shaft 87 is provided on the upstream side of the branch port 36. The flap 49 extends substantially downstream from the support shaft 87. The flap 49 is pivotally supported on the support shaft 87. An auxiliary roller 47 and an auxiliary roller 48 that are separated in the extending direction are pivotally supported on the flap 49. The roller surfaces of these auxiliary rollers 47 and 48 are in contact with the recording surface of the recording paper. The flap 49 rotates between a discharge posture positioned above the lower guide member 82 and a reverse posture (posture shown in FIG. 2) in which the extended end portion 49B enters below the branch port 36. To do.

[Paper Feed Cassette 78]
Hereinafter, the configuration of the paper feed cassette 78 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8. The paper feed cassette 78 is provided below the feeding unit 15. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the paper feed cassette 78 includes a main tray 20, a second tray 21, and a slide guide 34 when roughly classified. In FIG. 3, the slide guide 34 is omitted.

[Main tray 20]
In the multifunction machine 10 of the present embodiment, recording paper of A4 size, B5 size, etc. is stored in the main tray 20. The main tray 20 includes a bottom plate 54 on which recording paper is placed, side plates 55 and 56 that are erected from both ends of the bottom plate 54 in the left-right direction 9, and a separation that is erected at the rear end of the bottom plate 54. And an inclined plate 22. The main tray 20 is configured in a generally rectangular box shape with an open upper surface. As will be described later, the second tray 21 and the slide guide 34 are supported on the upper surfaces of the side plates 55 and 56 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction 8. The separation inclined plate 22 is inclined rearward so that the recording paper can be fed smoothly.

[Second tray 21]
As shown in FIG. 3, the second tray 21 is provided on the upper portion of the main tray 20. The second tray 21 is a flat rectangular member having a dimension in the left-right direction 9 that is substantially the same as a dimension in the left-right direction 9 of the main tray 20 and a dimension in the front-rear direction 8 that is shorter than the dimension in the front-rear direction of the main tray 20. . A concave portion 122 is formed at the center of the second tray 21 in the left-right direction 9. Recording paper is stored in the recess 122. In the multifunction machine 10 of this embodiment, a recording sheet such as a postcard size is accommodated in the second tray 21.

  The left end 21D of the second tray 21 is provided with a first rack gear 201 (an example of the rack gear of the present invention) that constitutes a part of the rack and pinion mechanism 200. The rack and pinion mechanism 200 converts the rotational driving force from the paper feeding motor into a linear driving force in the front-rear direction 8 and transmits it to the second tray 21 or the slide guide 34. When the driving force is transmitted from the rack and pinion mechanism 200 to the second tray 21 or the slide guide 34, the second tray 21 or the slide guide 34 slides in the front-rear direction 8. The transmission of the driving force to the rack and pinion mechanism 200 is not limited to from the paper feed motor, but may be from, for example, a transport motor. The configuration of the rack and pinion mechanism 200 including the first rack gear 201 will be described later.

  The second tray 21 is supported on the upper portion of the main tray 20 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction 8. Specifically, the second tray 21 has a first position where the rear end 21A on the rear side abuts against the separation inclined plate 22 (corresponding to the first position of the present invention, the position shown in FIG. 3B), and the rear The end 21 </ b> A slides between a second position (corresponding to a second position of the present invention, a position shown in FIG. 3A) separated from the separation inclined plate 22 by a predetermined distance toward the front side. When the second tray 21 is located at the first position, the convex portion 21AA provided at the rear end 21A of the second tray 21 and the first concave portion 22AA provided on the inner surface 22A of the separation inclined plate 22 mesh with each other. As a means for sliding the second tray 21 and a slide guide 34 described later to a predetermined position, a method of electrically controlling the movement amounts of the second tray 21 and the slide guide 34 can be considered.

  The dimension in the left-right direction 9 of the second tray 21 is longer than the dimension in the left-right direction 9 of the bottom plate 54 of the main tray 20 in the upper part of the second tray 21, and the dimension in the left-right direction 9 of the bottom plate 54 of the main tray 20 in the lower part of the second tray 21. Almost the same and slightly shorter. That is, a step surface 21 </ b> C in the left-right direction 9 is formed at the left end 21 </ b> D and the right end 21 </ b> E of the second tray 21. The step surface 21 </ b> C is carried on the upper surfaces of the side plates 55 and 56 of the main tray 20. As described above, the dimension in the left-right direction 9 of the second tray 21 is substantially the same as the dimension in the left-right direction 9 of the bottom plate 54 of the main tray 20 below the step surface 21C. Therefore, the second tray 21 slides in the front-rear direction 8 without moving in the left-right direction 9. The mechanism as described above can be adopted as a support mechanism for the second tray 21, but of course it is not limited to such a mechanism. May be applied.

  In a state where the second tray 21 is disposed at the second position, the upper surface on the rear side of the main tray 20 is opened, and the paper feed roller 25 is brought into contact with the recording paper of the main tray 20. When the paper feed roller 25 is rotated in this state, the recording paper stored in the main tray 20 is fed toward the curved path 65A. On the other hand, in a state where the second tray 21 is disposed at the first position, the paper feed roller 25 is brought into contact with the recording paper on the second tray 21. When the paper feed roller 25 is rotated in this state, the recording paper stored in the second tray 21 is fed toward the curved path 65A.

[Slide guide 34]
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the slide guide 34 is provided on the upper portion of the second tray 21. As with the second tray 21, the slide guide 34 is a flat plate whose dimension in the left-right direction 9 is substantially the same as the dimension in the left-right direction 9 of the main tray 20 and whose dimension in the front-rear direction 8 is shorter than the dimension in the front-rear direction of the main tray 20. It is a rectangular member.

  The slide guide 34 is supported at the upper part of the main tray 20 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction 8. Specifically, the slide guide 34 has a third position where the rear end 34A of the rear side abuts against the separation inclined plate 22 (corresponding to the third position of the present invention, the position shown by the broken line in FIG. 2 and FIG. 5). The rear end 34 </ b> A slides between a fourth position (corresponding to a fourth position of the present invention, a position shown in FIG. 4) separated from the separation inclined plate 22 by a predetermined distance toward the front side. When the slide guide 34 is located at the third position, the convex portion 34AA provided at the rear end 34A of the slide guide 34 and the second concave portion 22AB provided on the inner surface 22A of the separation inclined plate 22 mesh with each other.

  On the left end portion 143 and the right end portion 144 of the slide guide 34, side plates 145 and 146 (an example of a side plate according to the present invention) are formed standing from the lower surface of the slide guide 34 and extending in the front-rear direction 8. The side plate 145 is formed on the left side of the left end portion 21D of the second tray 21, and the side plate 146 is formed on the right side of the right end portion 21E of the second tray 21. The lower surfaces of the side plates 145 and 146 are in contact with the upper surfaces of the side plates 55 and 56 of the main tray 20. Further, a U-shaped rail groove 147 is formed on the left end portion 143 of the slide guide 34 so as to stand from the upper surface of the slide guide 34 and extend in the front-rear direction 8. A second rack gear 205 that forms a part of the rack and pinion mechanism 200 is formed in the rail groove 147. The second rack gear 205 is meshed with a pinion gear 206 constituting a part of the rack and pinion mechanism 200. Thus, the slide guide 34 is supported by the main tray 20 and the pinion gear 206 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction 8. The mechanism as described above can be employed as a support mechanism for the slide guide 34. However, the present invention is not limited to such a support mechanism, and any support mechanism can be used as long as the slide guide 34 is supported so as to be movable in the front-rear direction 8. May be applied.

  In the state where the slide guide 34 is disposed at the fourth position, the upper surface on the rear side of the main tray 20 is opened, and the paper feed roller 25 is brought into contact with the recording paper of the main tray 20. When the paper feed roller 25 is rotated in this state, the recording paper stored in the main tray 20 is fed toward the curved path 65A. On the other hand, in a state where the slide guide 34 is disposed at the third position, the paper feed roller 25 is brought into contact with the slide guide 34. In this state, when the paper feed roller 25 is rotated, the recording paper conveyed through the inclined path 67A is fed toward the curved path 65A.

[Rack and pinion mechanism 200]
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the rack and pinion mechanism 200 includes a first drive transmission mechanism (an example of the first drive transmission mechanism of the present invention) that transmits drive from the switching unit 260 to the second tray 21, and a switching unit 260. And a second drive transmission mechanism (an example of the second drive transmission mechanism of the present invention) that transmits drive to the slide guide 34. 8B is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along A1-A2 in FIG. 8A, and FIG. 8D is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along B1-B2 in FIG. 8C.

  The first drive transmission mechanism includes a first rack gear 201, a planetary gear 202 (an example of the planetary gear of the present invention), an intermediate gear 203, a side plate 145, and a connection hole 204 (an example of the connection hole of the present invention). It is configured. The first rack gear is formed at the left end 120 of the second tray 21 as described above. The intermediate gear 203 is a bevel gear. The intermediate gear 203 is rotatably supported around an axis parallel to the shaft 264.

  The planetary gear 202 is formed on the left side of the side plate 145. The planetary gear 202 includes a first gear 202A that is a bevel gear engaged with the intermediate gear 203, and a second gear 202B that is formed below the first gear 202A and rotates together with the first gear 202A. The third gear 202C and the fourth gear 202D are engaged with the second gear 202B. The first gear 202 </ b> A and the second gear 202 </ b> B are pivotally supported so as to be rotatable around a shaft standing upright from a frame or the like on the bottom surface of the printer unit 11. The third gear 202C and the fourth gear 202D are arranged in a straight line between the second gear 202B and the side plate 145, the third gear 202C is disposed on the rear side, and the fourth gear 202D is disposed on the front side. The second gear 202B, the third gear 202C, and the fourth gear 202D are pivotally supported by a pair of plate members 202E so as to be rotatable around the shafts of the respective gears. Specifically, the second gear 202B is pivotally supported by the V-shaped bent portion of the plate member 202E, and the third gear 202C and the fourth gear 202D are pivotally supported by the V-shaped end portion of the plate member 202E. As a result, the third gear 202C and the fourth gear 202D rotate in the direction of the broken line arrow shown in FIG. 8A as the meshed second gear 202B rotates, and rotate the second gear 202B. It rotates in the direction of the one-dot chain line arrow shown in FIG.

  The side plate 145 is provided along the first rack gear 201. The side plate 145 is formed on the left side of the first rack gear 201 and is formed on the right side of the planetary gear 202. That is, the side plate 145 is formed between the first rack gear 201 and the planetary gear 202 and separates the meshing between the first rack gear 201 and the planetary gear 202.

  The connection hole 204 is a hole that penetrates the side plate 145 in the left-right direction 9. The connection hole 204 is formed at a position facing the planetary gear 202 when the slide guide 34 is located at the fifth position (corresponding to the fifth position of the present invention, the position shown in FIG. 6). Here, the fifth position is an arbitrary position between the third position and the fourth position, and is a position determined in advance as a position where the driving force can be transmitted from the paper feeding motor to the second tray 21. In the connection hole 204, the opening on the left side of the side plate 145 is formed larger than the opening on the right side. The wall surface 204A formed on the rear side and the wall surface 204B formed on the front side in the connection hole 204 form a gentle inclined surface from the left opening to the right opening.

  When the slide guide 34 slides in the front-rear direction 8 at a position other than the fifth position, the left wall surface of the side plate 145 (that is, the left end portion 143 of the slide guide 34) is third as shown in FIG. It contacts both the gear 202C and the fourth gear 202D. When the slide guide 34 reaches the fifth position while sliding forward, the left end 143 and the wall surface 204B are in contact with the third gear 202C in order. Thereafter, the third gear 202C and the first rack gear 201 are engaged with each other through the connection hole 204. On the other hand, when the slide guide 34 reaches the fifth position while sliding backward, the left end 143 and the wall surface 204A are in contact with the fourth gear 202D of the planetary gear 202 in order. Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 7, 8 </ b> C, and 8 </ b> D, the fourth gear 202 </ b> D and the first rack gear 201 are engaged with each other through the connection hole 204.

  As shown in FIGS. 7, 8 </ b> C, and 8 </ b> D, when a rotational driving force is transmitted from the switching gear 263 (an example of the switching gear of the present invention) of the switching unit 260 to the intermediate gear 203, the rotation is performed. A driving force is transmitted from the intermediate gear 203 to the first rack gear 201 via the planetary gear 202. In response to this driving force, the second tray 21 slides in a direction corresponding to the rotational direction of the rotational driving force input to the intermediate gear 203.

  The second drive transmission mechanism includes a second rack gear 205, a pinion gear 206, and an intermediate gear 207. The second rack gear 205 is formed in the rail groove 147 provided in the left end 143 of the slide guide 34 as described above.

  The pinion gear 206 and the intermediate gear 207 are rotatably supported around an axis parallel to the shaft 264. The pinion gear 206 is meshed with the second rack gear 205 and the intermediate gear 207. The intermediate gear 207 is composed of a large gear 207A and a small gear 207B that are pivotally supported so as to be integrally rotatable about the same axis. The large gear 207A is meshed with the switching gear 263, and the small gear 207B is meshed with the pinion gear 206.

  A pinion gear 206 and an intermediate gear 207 are sequentially meshed with the second rack gear 205. As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, when the rotational driving force is transmitted from the switching gear 263 to the intermediate gear 207, the rotational driving force is transmitted from the intermediate gear 207 via the pinion gear 206 to the second rack gear 205. Is transmitted to. In response to this driving force, the slide guide 34 slides in a direction corresponding to the rotational direction of the rotational driving force input to the intermediate gear 207.

[Switching unit 260]
Hereinafter, the configuration of the switching unit 260 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The switching unit 260 transmits the rotational driving force transmitted from the paper feeding motor to the second tray 21 or the slide guide 34. The switching unit 260 is disposed above the paper feed cassette 78 inside the printer unit 11.

  The switching unit 260 is movable in the left-right direction 9 according to the switching lever 262 slidably supported in the left-right direction 9 by the support unit 261 and the switching position (first switching position, second switching position) of the switching lever 262. And a switching gear 263 supported by a shaft 264. The switching gear 263 is engaged with a transmission gear (not shown) that transmits the driving force from the paper feeding motor to the switching unit 260. The switching lever 262 is movable between a first switching position and a second switching position that are separated in the left-right direction 9. As shown in FIGS. 8C and 8D, the switching gear 263 is engaged with the intermediate gear 203 by arranging the switching lever 262 at the first switching position. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the switching lever 262 is disposed at the second switching position, so that the switching gear 263 is engaged with the intermediate gear 207.

  In the present embodiment, the switching lever 262 is positioned within the movement range of the carriage 40 provided in the recording unit 24, specifically, within the movement range in the non-image recording area. Accordingly, when the carriage 40 is moved to the non-image recording area, the carriage 40 is brought into contact with the switching lever 262. Thereby, the switching lever 262 is switched to the first switching position or the second switching position. The switching lever 262 is not limited to switching by movement of the recording unit 24. For example, a configuration in which the switching lever 262 can be switched to an arbitrary position by driving an actuator (not shown) may be employed.

  The switching lever 262 is switched to the first switching position in the normal printing state. In other words, driving is transmitted from the driving source (paper feeding motor) to the gears (first rack gear 201, planetary gear 202, and intermediate gear 203) that drive the second tray 21. In this case, when the slide guide 34 is positioned at the fifth position, the second tray 21 moves by being transmitted, but when the slide guide 34 is positioned at a position other than the fifth position, the second tray 21 is not transmitted without being transmitted. .

[Move control]
In the printer unit 11 configured as described above, movement control for sliding the second tray 21 and the slide guide 34 is performed by a control unit (not shown) that controls the overall operation of the multifunction machine 10. Hereinafter, the processing procedure of the movement control will be described based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 9 and 10. In the following, for convenience of explanation, a driving force that moves the second tray 21 and the slide guide 34 forward (in a direction away from the separation inclined plate 22) is transmitted when the paper feeding motor is rotated forward. Suppose that the driving force for moving the second tray 21 and the slide guide 34 rearward (in the direction approaching the separation inclined plate 22) is transmitted when the paper feeding motor is reversely rotated. Further, when the printer unit 11 is in a preparation state where it has not received an image recording instruction, it is assumed that the second tray 21 is in the second position and the slide guide 34 is in the initial state in the fourth position. In addition, it is assumed that the switching lever 262 of the switching unit 260 is disposed at the first switching position.

  First, with reference to FIG. 9, movement control performed when an image is recorded on a recording sheet fed from the main tray 20 will be described. When an image recording instruction is input to the multifunction machine 10, the control unit rotates the paper feed roller 25, and the recording paper on the main tray 20 is fed toward the curved path 65 </ b> A. An image is recorded (S10).

  If it is determined in step S20 that a double-sided image recording instruction signal has not been input, it is determined whether there is next print data (S30). If there is next print data, it is further determined whether or not the instruction is an instruction to record an image on a recording sheet of the main tray 20 (S40). If it is determined that the instruction is an instruction to record an image on the recording paper of the main tray 20, the process is performed again according to the procedure from step S10, and the instruction is recorded on the recording paper of the second tray 21. If it is determined that the instruction is to perform the process, the process according to the procedure after step S210 in FIG. 10 is executed. If it is determined in step S30 that there is no next print data, the series of processing ends.

  If it is determined in step S20 that a double-sided image recording instruction signal has been input, the switching lever 262 is switched to the second switching position, and the process of moving the slide guide 34 to the third position is executed (S50). Next, it is determined by the control unit whether or not the slide guide 34 has reached the third position (S60). Such a determination can be made by determining the amount of movement of the slide guide 34. When the slide guide 34 reaches the third position, the straight path 67 </ b> B of the reverse conveyance path 67 is formed by the upper surface of the slide guide 34.

  When the slide guide 34 reaches the third position, image recording of the recording paper on the slide guide 34 is performed in the same manner as in step S10, and the paper is discharged toward the paper discharge holding portion 79 (S70). When the slide guide 34 reaches the third position, the switching lever 262 is switched from the second switching position to the first switching position.

  If it is determined in the next step S80 that there is no next print data, a process for returning the slide guide 34 to the initial state is performed (S90). Thereafter, a series of processing ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is the next print data (S80), the same determination as in step S40 described above is made (S100). If it is determined that the instruction is an instruction to record an image on the recording paper of the main tray 20, the same processing as step S90 is performed (S110). Then, the process after step S10 is performed. On the other hand, when it is determined that the instruction is not an instruction to record an image on the recording sheet of the main tray 20, processing according to the procedure after step S210 in FIG. 10 is executed.

  Next, movement control performed when an image is recorded on a recording sheet fed from the second tray 21 will be described with reference to FIG. When an image recording instruction is input to the multifunction machine 10, the switching lever 262 is switched to the second switching position, and the process of moving the slide guide 34 to the fifth position is executed by the control unit (S210). Next, whether or not the slide guide 34 has reached the fifth position is determined by the control unit in the same manner as in step S60 (S220). When the slide guide 34 reaches the fifth position, the switching lever 262 is switched to the first switching position, and a process of moving the second tray 21 rearward is executed by the control unit (S230). When it is determined that the second tray 21 has reached the first position (S240), the control unit rotates the paper feed roller 25, and the recording paper on the second tray 21 is fed toward the curved path 65A, and the recording unit. In 24, an image is recorded on the recording sheet (S250).

  If it is determined in step S260 that a double-sided image recording instruction signal has not been input, it is determined whether there is next print data (S270). If there is next print data, it is further determined whether or not the instruction is an instruction to record an image on a recording sheet of the main tray 20 (S280). If it is determined that the above instruction is an instruction to record an image on the recording paper of the main tray 20, after the process of returning the second tray 21 and the slide guide 34 to the initial state is performed (S290), the step in FIG. The process according to the procedure after S10 is executed. The process of returning to the initial state is performed by a procedure of returning the second tray 21 to the second position and then returning the slide guide 34 to the fourth position.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S280 that the image recording instruction is an instruction to record an image on the recording paper of the second tray 21, processing according to the procedure from step S250 is executed. If it is determined in step S270 that there is no next print data, a process for returning the second tray 21 and the slide guide 34 to the initial state is performed (S300), as in step S290. Ends.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S260 that a double-sided image recording instruction signal has been input, the switching lever 262 is switched to the second switching position, and processing for moving the slide guide 34 to the third position is executed (S310). ). Next, it is determined by the control unit whether or not the slide guide 34 has reached the third position (S320).

  When the slide guide 34 reaches the third position, image recording of the recording paper on the slide guide 34 is performed in the same manner as in step S250, and the paper is discharged toward the paper discharge holding unit 79 (S330). When the slide guide 34 reaches the third position, the switching lever 262 is switched from the second switching position to the first switching position.

  If it is determined in the next step S340 that there is no next print data, a process of returning the second tray 21 and the slide guide 34 to the initial state is performed (S350). Thereafter, a series of processing ends. The process of returning to the initial state is performed by moving the slide guide 34 to the fifth position, returning the second tray 21 to the second position, and then returning the slide guide 34 to the fourth position.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S340 that there is next print data, the same determination as in step S280 described above is made (S360). If it is determined that the instruction is an instruction to record an image on the recording paper of the main tray 20, the same processing as step S350 is performed (S370). Thereafter, processing according to the procedure after step S10 in FIG. 9 is executed. On the other hand, when it is determined that the instruction is not an instruction to record an image on the recording paper of the main tray 20, a process of returning the slide guide 34 to the fourth position is executed (S380). As a result, the recording paper can be fed from the second tray 21. Then, the process according to the procedure after step S250 is performed.

[Effect of the embodiment]
Since the present embodiment is configured as described above, transmission of the driving force from the paper feeding motor is selectively switched to the second tray 21 or the slide guide 34 by the switching unit 260. Therefore, the slide guide 34 does not move when the second tray 21 moves, and the second tray 21 does not move when the slide tray 34 moves. That is, each tray can be moved independently.

  In the above-described configuration, the first drive transmission mechanism transmits the drive to the second tray 21 only when the slide guide 34 is located at the fifth position. Therefore, the second tray 21 does not move by mistake during single-sided printing or double-sided printing. As a result, the sheet fed from the main tray 20 is prevented from being jammed in the apparatus due to being blocked by the second tray 21 that has been moved to the first position by mistake.

  In the above-described configuration, the second tray 21 is movable between the first position and the second position when the slide guide 34 is located at the fifth position. Thereafter, even if the slide guide 34 moves to a position other than the fifth position, the second tray 21 can maintain the state after the movement. That is, the second tray 21 can hold an arbitrary position between the first position and the second position regardless of whether the slide guide 34 is located between the third position and the fourth position.

  The driving force from the paper feed motor is transmitted to either the first drive transmission mechanism or the second drive transmission mechanism according to the movement position of the carriage 40. That is, a driving force is transmitted from a single driving source (for example, a paper feeding motor) to a plurality of driving transmission mechanisms. Therefore, it is not necessary for each of the plurality of drive transmission functions to be transmitted from a different drive source, and the number of drive sources mounted in the multifunction machine 10 can be reduced.

  When the slide guide 34 is located at the fifth position, the planetary gear 202 and the first rack gear 201 are engaged with each other through the connection hole 204, and the driving force is transmitted from the first drive transmission mechanism to the second tray 21. The first drive transmission mechanism and the second tray 21 are connected by meshing the planetary gear 202 and the first rack gear 201.

  The slide guide 34 is supported by the side plate 145 in the moving direction of the second tray 21, that is, in the front-rear direction 8. The outer guide member 18, the inner guide member 19 or the separation inclined plate 22 and the slide guide 34 that form the curved path 65 </ b> A are fitted in the left-right direction 9 of the second tray 21. Therefore, rigidity stronger than that complemented only from the main tray 20 is complemented by the outer guide member 18, the inner guide member 19 or the separation inclined plate 22, and the slide guide 34 from the main tray 20.

[Modification of Embodiment]
In the above-described embodiment, the form in which the paper feed cassette 78 has two trays (the main tray 20 and the second tray 21) has been described, but the number of trays that the paper feed cassette 78 has is not limited to two.

  For example, the paper feed cassette 78 may have three trays (the main tray 20, the second tray 21, and the third tray). Hereinafter, differences from the above-described embodiment will be described. The third tray has the same configuration as the second tray 21. The second tray 21 is provided above the main tray 20, the third tray is provided above the second tray 21, and the slide guide 34 is provided above the third tray.

  In addition to the first drive transmission mechanism and the second drive transmission mechanism, the rack and pinion mechanism 200 includes a third drive transmission mechanism that transmits drive from the switching unit 260 to the third tray. The third drive transmission mechanism has substantially the same configuration as the first drive transmission mechanism, but there are differences. For example, the planetary gear is formed at the first planetary gear provided at a height opposite to the rack gear formed at the left end portion of the second tray 21 and the lower portion of the first planetary gear and formed at the left end portion of the third tray. And a second planetary gear provided at a height facing the rack gear. The side plate 145 is provided with two connection holes. One connection hole is formed at a position facing the first planetary gear when the slide guide 34 is located at the fifth position, and the other connection hole is formed. The hole is formed at a position facing the second planetary gear when the slide guide 34 is located at the sixth position. Here, the sixth position is an arbitrary position other than the fifth position between the third position and the fourth position in the front-rear direction 8 and is a position where the driving force can be transmitted from the paper feeding motor to the third tray. It is a predetermined position.

  The switching lever 262 of the switching unit 260 is configured to be movable between the third switching position in addition to the first switching position and the second switching position. When the switching lever 262 is disposed at the third switching position, the driving force is transmitted from the paper feeding motor to the third tray via the third drive transmission mechanism.

  As described above, by increasing the switching positions of the drive transmission mechanism and the switching unit 260, the present invention can be applied to the image recording apparatus even if the number of trays mounted on the multifunction machine 10 is three or more.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... MFP 20 ... Main tray 21 ... Second tray 24 ... Recording unit 34 ... Slide guide 65 ... Conveyance path 67 ... Reverse conveyance path 78 ... Paper feed cassette

Claims (4)

An image recording unit for recording an image on a sheet;
A first tray for holding sheets;
A first conveyance path for guiding a sheet fed from the first tray to the image recording unit;
A first position that is provided on the upper side of the first tray and holds a sheet, and is capable of feeding the sheet to the first conveyance path, close to the first conveyance path, and the first conveyance from the first tray. A second tray movable to a second position separated from the first conveying path so that a sheet can be fed to the path;
The first transport path is provided above the second tray so that the second transport path that guides the sheet that has passed through the image recording unit to the first transport path again and the first transport path are continuous. And a third tray movable to a fourth position spaced from the first transport path so that a sheet can be fed from the first tray or the second tray to the first transport path. ,
A driving source;
A drive transmission switching mechanism for selectively switching transmission of driving force from a driving source to the second tray or the third tray;
A first drive transmission mechanism for transmitting drive from the drive transmission switching mechanism to the second tray;
A second drive transmission mechanism for transmitting drive from the drive transmission switching mechanism to the third tray,
The first drive transmission mechanism is disconnected when the third tray is located at the third position and the fourth position, and the third tray is located between the third position and the fourth position. An image recording apparatus for transmitting drive to the second tray when positioned at the fifth position. The image recording unit includes a carriage having a recording head for discharging ink droplets on a sheet mounted on the lower surface and movable in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction,
The drive transmission switching mechanism is configured to transmit a driving force from the driving source to the first driving transmission mechanism in accordance with a moving position of the carriage, and to drive the driving force from the driving source to the second. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a switching gear movably supported at a second switching position for transmission to the drive transmission mechanism. The first drive transmission mechanism includes:
A rack gear provided on the second tray along the moving direction of the second tray;
A planetary gear which is transmitted from the drive source and can mesh with the rack gear;
A side plate that is provided along the rack gear in the third tray, and that separates the planetary gear from the rack gear;
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a connection hole that is formed in the side plate so as to be able to mesh with the rack gear via the side plate. A separating inclined plate that tilts obliquely upward from the first tray to the first conveying path;
When the third tray is located at the third position, the third tray is in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the third tray and the guide member or the separation inclined plate that forms the first transport path. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recording apparatus is fitted.

Images