JP2013028465A - Sheet feeder and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably hold a guide member in a guide position by making the rotational movement of the guide member interlocked with the opening/closing of an opening/closing door by a simple constitution.SOLUTION: This sheet feeder 3 can open a vertical carrying passage 26 for carrying a sheet S upward toward an image forming part 22, and includes a second opening/closing door 4 for opening the vertical carrying passage 26 supported by a rotary shaft 41 arranged in the vertical direction so as to be openable and closable, a carrying guide 38 rotatably supported by a rotary shaft 38a arranged in the orthogonal direction with respect to the rotary shaft 41 and freely rotatable between a guide position for guiding the sheet S fed by an upper guide 39 and the carrying guide to the vertical carrying passage 26 and an opening position for opening a left carrying passage 37a, and a cam 44 having a cam surface 45 for scooping up the carrying guide 38 toward the guide position by abutting on the carrying guide 38 when operating for closing from an opening state and a holding part 46 for holding the carrying guide 38 in the guide position when a second opening/closing door body 40 is positioned in a closing position and fixed to and supported by the second opening/closing door 4 so as to be deformable.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a sheet feeding apparatus having an open / close door capable of opening a sheet conveying path from a sheet feeding section to an image forming section, and an image forming apparatus including the same.

  In recent image forming apparatuses such as printers and copiers, sheets are stacked on a sheet feeding unit, and the uppermost stacked sheets are fed one by one to the image forming unit to form an image on the sheet. Is widely spread. Such an image forming apparatus has a plurality of sheet feeding units, and is configured to automatically feed one sheet at a time from the uppermost sheet stacked on the corresponding sheet feeding unit to the image forming unit. Things are common.

  Incidentally, in recent years, in image forming apparatuses such as laser printers, there is an increasing demand for image forming apparatuses having a sheet feeding unit capable of storing a large amount of sheets, and image forming apparatuses corresponding to such demands have been developed. ing.

  For example, there is an image forming apparatus that can mount a feeding cassette that stores an A4 size sheet on the left and right sides of an image forming apparatus that can mount a feeding cassette that stores an A3 size sheet. This image forming apparatus can store twice as many A4 size sheets as compared to storing A3 size sheets, and can feed sheets from the feeding cassettes arranged on the left and right, A larger amount of sheets can be fed. For example, there is an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of feeding cassettes are arranged in the vertical direction and sheets can be fed from each feeding cassette. In this image forming apparatus, a large number of sheets can be fed without increasing the installation area of the image forming apparatus by arranging the feeding cassettes vertically.

  Here, the above-described image forming apparatus is provided with a vertical conveyance path for conveying a sheet sent from each feeding cassette to the image forming unit positioned above, and the vertical conveyance path and each feeding path are provided. A guide member is provided at a junction with the sheet conveyance path connected to the feeding cassette. The guide member guides the sheet in the sheet conveyance path to the vertical conveyance path and is formed so as to be able to open the sheet conveyance path that merges with the vertical conveyance path. It is attached so as to be rotatable or detachable so that it can be jammed. Then, the guide member that has opened the sheet conveyance path is rotated by a rotating unit that is interlocked with the closing operation of the open / close door after the user or the like performs jam processing or the like, and is returned to the guide position, and is held at the guide position. (Refer patent document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 3546024

  However, in the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the spiral protrusion of the spiral portion is guided to the hole portion of the guide member by being pressed by the closing door, and the guide member is rotated to the guide position. It is configured. Therefore, the structure for moving the guide member to the guide position becomes complicated, and there is a problem that the cost increases.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus that can rotate the guide member in conjunction with the opening and closing of the open / close door and can stably hold the guide member at a predetermined guide position with a simple configuration. The purpose is to do.

  The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus having a sheet conveying path that conveys a sheet fed from a sheet feeding unit upward toward an image forming unit, and is opened and closed by an opening / closing shaft arranged in a vertical direction. The sheet conveyance when the opening / closing door is in an open state is supported by the opening / closing door capable of opening the sheet conveying path and a rotation shaft disposed in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the opening / closing axis. A guide member that is rotatable between a guide position that configures a path and an open position where the sheet conveyance path can be opened when the open / close door is in the open state, and the open / close door is closed from the open state. When the cam surface that contacts the tip of the guide member located at the open position and scoops the guide member toward the guide position and the open / close door are located at the closed position, the guide member is held at the guide position. Anda cam portion fixed to the door, with a, characterized in that.

  According to the present invention, by providing the opening / closing door with a cam portion having a cam surface for scooping up the guide member and a holding portion for holding the guide member, the rotation of the guide member is interlocked with the opening / closing of the opening / closing door with a simple configuration. And can be stably held at a predetermined guide position.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows typically the sheet feeding apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of FIG. 2. It is a perspective view showing the state where the 2nd opening-and-closing door of the sheet feeding device concerning this embodiment was opened. It is sectional drawing which shows the positional relationship of the cam part provided in the 2nd door and the conveyance guide in the state which opened the 2nd door. It is the figure which looked at the state where the 2nd opening-and-closing door was locked from the inside of a sheet feeding device. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which the cam part of the 2nd opening / closing door contact | abutted to the conveyance guide. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of FIG. 6. (A) is sectional drawing which shows the state which a conveyance guide moves along the cam part of a 2nd opening / closing door, (b) is sectional drawing which shows the state which closed the 2nd opening / closing door.

  Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is an image forming apparatus provided with a sheet feeding device capable of mounting a plurality of feeding cassettes on the main body of the image forming device, such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, and a composite device thereof. . In the following embodiments, a description will be given using an image forming apparatus provided with a sheet feeding device in which a right feeding cassette and a left feeding cassette can be mounted on the left and right.

  First, the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described along the movement of the sheet S with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an image forming apparatus main body 2 that forms an image on a sheet S, and a sheet feeding apparatus 3 that feeds the sheet S to the image forming apparatus main body 2.

  The image forming apparatus main body 2 includes a sheet feeding unit 21 that feeds the sheet S, an image forming unit 22 that forms an image on the sheet S, and a first opening / closing door 23 that is supported by the image forming apparatus main body 2 so as to be freely opened and closed. And. The sheet feeding unit 21 includes a first storage unit 24 and a second storage unit 25 that are arranged in two stages on the top and bottom, and selectively selects the sheets stored in the first storage unit 24 and the second storage unit 25. To the image forming unit 22. The image forming unit 22 forms an image on the sheet S fed from the sheet feeding unit 21. Here, a description of a specific configuration of the image forming unit 22 is omitted. The first opening / closing door 23 is arranged so that it can be easily jammed when the sheet S being conveyed is caused to jam in the vertical conveyance path 26 connecting the sheet feeding unit 21 and the image forming unit 22. The conveyance path 26 is formed to be freely opened.

  The sheet feeding device 3 is formed so as to be connectable to the vertical conveyance path 26 of the image forming apparatus main body 2. The sheet S stored in the right feeding cassette 32 and the left feeding cassette 33 is transferred to the vertical conveyance path 26. To the image forming unit 22 of the image forming apparatus main body 2.

  Here, the sheet feeding apparatus 3 will be described more specifically with reference to FIGS. 2 to 9B. First, the overall configuration of the sheet feeding device 3 will be described along the movement of the sheet S with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the sheet feeding apparatus 3 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the second opening / closing door 4 of the sheet feeding device 3 according to the present embodiment is opened. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a positional relationship between the cam portion 44 provided on the second opening / closing door 4 and the conveyance guide 38 in a state where the second opening / closing door 4 is opened. FIG. 6 is a view of the locked state of the second opening / closing door 4 as viewed from the inside of the sheet feeding device 3.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the sheet feeding device 3 includes a feeding device main body 31, a sheet feeding unit 30, a second opening / closing door 4 as an opening / closing door, a right feeding cassette 32 that stores sheets S, and Left feeding cassette 33. Further, the sheet feeding unit 30 includes a right feeding unit 35 that feeds sheets stacked in the right feeding cassette 32, and a left feeding unit 36 that feeds sheets stacked in the left feeding cassette 33. A lateral sheet feeding unit 37 that transports the sheet fed from the left feeding unit 36. The sheet feeding unit 30 includes a conveyance guide 38 as a guide member.

  The feeding device main body 31 is formed so that the right feeding cassette 32 and the left feeding cassette 33 can be freely attached and detached, and the user selectively selects the right feeding cassette 32 and the left feeding cassette 33 from the feeding device main body 31. Pull out to replace or add sheets. The right feeding cassette 32 and the left feeding cassette 33 are formed in a substantially box shape so that the sheets S can be stacked and stored. Guide guides 32a, 32b, 33a, 33b are provided below the right side feeding cassette 32 and the left side feeding cassette 33, and the guide rails 31a, 31b provided on the feeding apparatus main body 31 are slid to feed. Mounted on the feeder main body 31.

  The right feeding unit 35 is provided in the upper right part of the right feeding cassette 32 and feeds the sheets S stacked on the right feeding cassette 32 one by one. In addition, description about the specific structure of the right feeding part 35 is abbreviate | omitted here. As shown in FIG. 3, the sheet S fed by the right feeding unit 35 passes through a right conveyance path 35a described later formed by a conveyance guide 38 and a door guide unit 43 described later, and the image forming apparatus main body. It is conveyed toward the two vertical conveyance paths 26.

  The left feeding unit 36 is provided in the upper right part of the left feeding cassette 33 and feeds the sheets S stacked on the left feeding cassette 33 one by one. The horizontal sheet feeding unit 37 is provided above the right feeding cassette 32 and conveys the sheet S fed by the left feeding unit 36 to the vertical conveyance path 26. In addition, description about the specific structure of the left feeding part 36 and the horizontal sheet feeding part 37 is abbreviate | omitted here. As shown in FIG. 3, the sheet S conveyed by the lateral sheet feeding unit 37 forms an image via a left conveyance path 37 a described later, which includes an upper guide surface 38 b of the conveyance guide 38 and an upper guide 39. It is conveyed toward the vertical conveyance path 26 of the apparatus main body 2.

  The conveyance guide 38 is disposed on the right side of the lateral sheet feeding unit 37 and above the right feeding unit 35, and the gap between the guide position and the open position is centered on a rotation shaft 38a extending in the horizontal direction. Is supported by the feeder main body 31 so as to be rotatable in the direction of arrow B shown in FIG. Further, the conveyance guide 38 forms a right conveyance path 35a with the lower guide surface 38c located at the guide position and the door guide portion 43, and serves as a sheet conveyance path with the upper guide surface 38b located at the guide position and the upper guide 39. Left conveyance path 37a is formed. The guide position is a position where the conveyance guide 38 guides the sheet S conveyed by the right feeding unit 35 or the lateral sheet feeding unit 37 toward the vertical conveyance path 26 of the image forming apparatus main body 2 and is opened. The position is a position where the left conveyance path 37a is opened.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the second opening / closing door 4 includes a second opening / closing door body 40 capable of opening the left conveyance path 37a, and a rotation shaft 41 as an opening / closing shaft that supports the second opening / closing door body 40 so as to be freely opened and closed. , And a lock mechanism 42 for locking the second opening / closing door body 40.

  The second open / close door body 40 includes a door guide portion 43 and a cam portion 44. The door guide portion 43 is fixedly supported on the inner surface of the second opening / closing door body 40, and in the closed state of the second opening / closing door 4, the sheet is directed from the right feeding portion 35 toward the vertical conveyance path 26 of the image forming apparatus body 2. Guide S. The cam portion 44 is fixedly supported by the inner surface of the second opening / closing door body 40 to the side of the door guide portion 43 (in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 41) so as not to be deformable, and the opening / closing operation of the second opening / closing door 4 with respect to the conveyance guide 38. And a holding portion 46 that holds the conveyance guide 38 at the guide position.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the cam surface 45 is formed in a curved shape that is inclined upward (curved toward the second door) toward the upper side of the second door body 40. The lower end 45a of the cam surface 45 is formed to be positioned below the rotation shaft 38a of the conveyance guide 38 and the tip 38d of the conveyance guide 38. The cam surface 45 is formed in a curved surface, so that the conveyance guide when the front end of the conveyance guide 38 abuts even if the front end 38d of the conveyance guide 38 is positioned below the rotation shaft 38a of the conveyance guide 38. The angle formed with the tip of 38 becomes an obtuse angle, and the conveyance guide can be scooped up. That is, the cam surface 45 is formed in a so-called scooping shape that can lift up the transport guide 38 located in the open position by making the upper angle formed by the tip of the transport guide 38 an obtuse angle. Has been. The holding portion 46 is formed above the cam surface 45 continuously with the cam surface 45, and holds the conveyance guide 38 at the guide position by abutting against the tip 38d of the conveyance guide 38 located at the guide position.

  The rotating shaft 41 is supported by the feeding device main body 31 in a state extending in the vertical direction (perpendicular to the rotating shaft 38a of the conveyance guide 38), and the second opening / closing door main body 40 is moved in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. The second door body 40 is moved between the closed state and the open state by rotating. As shown in FIG. 6, the lock mechanism 42 includes a locked portion 47 formed on the second opening / closing door body 40 and a locking portion 48 formed on the feeding device body 31. The movement of the second opening / closing door body 40 located in the closed state is restricted by the portion 47 being locked by the locking portion 48. That is, the second opening / closing door body 40 is locked in the closed state.

  Next, the opening / closing operation of the second door 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9B in addition to FIGS. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the cam portion 44 of the second opening / closing door 4 is in contact with the conveyance guide 38. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of FIG. FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the conveyance guide 38 moves along the cam portion 44 of the second opening / closing door 4. FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the second opening / closing door 4 is closed.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the second opening / closing door 4 is in the open state, the conveyance guide 38 rotates by its own weight about the rotation shaft 38a and opens the left conveyance path 37a. Located in position. At this time, the front end 38d of the conveyance guide 38 is positioned below the rotation shaft 38a, so that the left conveyance path 37a is more largely opened. On the other hand, the cam portion 44 of the second opening / closing door 4 is at a position (separated) from the conveyance guide 38 and does not interfere with the conveyance guide 38. Moreover, since the cam part 44 is provided in the rotating shaft 41 (back) side of the 2nd opening / closing door 4, even if the shape protrudes from the 2nd opening / closing door 4, it interferes at the time of jam processing by a user etc. There is no.

  Next, when the closing operation of the second opening / closing door 4 is started, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the cam surface 45 of the cam portion 44 provided on the second opening / closing door 4 contacts the front end 38 d of the conveyance guide 38. Touch. At this time, the lower end 45a of the cam surface 45 is formed so as to be positioned below the front end 38d of the transport guide 38, so that it can come into contact with the front end 38d of the transport guide 38 in the open position. Further, since the cam surface 45 is formed in a curved shape, an impact at the time of contact with the tip 38d of the conveyance guide 38 is reduced. For example, the conveyance guide 38 is prevented from jumping up against the cam surface 45.

  When the second opening / closing door 4 is further closed, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the leading end 38d of the conveyance guide 38 moves upward along the cam surface 45, so that the conveyance guide 38 is It rotates toward the guide position around the rotation shaft 38a. At this time, the cam surface 45 is formed in a curved surface having an obtuse angle between the tip 38d of the conveyance guide 38 and the cam surface 45 so that the tip 38d of the conveyance guide 38 can be lifted. Therefore, the conveyance guide 38 can be rotated upward along the cam surface 45. Moreover, the conveyance guide 38 rotates smoothly because it is formed in a curved surface.

  When the second opening / closing door 4 is located at the closed position, the second opening / closing door 4 is locked by the lock mechanism 42. Specifically, when the locked portion 47 is locked to the locking portion 48, the opening operation of the second opening / closing door body 40 located at the closed position is restricted and locked at the closed position. At this time, the conveyance guide 38 rotated along the cam surface 45 is positioned at the guide position when the second opening / closing door 4 is locked, and the holding portion 46 formed above the cam surface 45 of the cam portion 44. Is held at the guide position.

  Here, the conveyance guide 38 is in contact with the holding portion 46 of the cam portion 44 so as to rotate to the open position by its own weight in the closed position, and is biased in the direction of opening the second opening / closing door 4 via the holding portion 46. doing. As described above, the second opening / closing door 4 receives the biasing force in the opening direction from the conveyance guide 38, so that the locked portion 47 provided on the second opening / closing door 4 hits the locking portion 48 and is stable. The closed state can be maintained. Moreover, since the cam part 44 is provided in the 2nd opening / closing door 4, it can maintain the stable position similarly to the 2nd opening / closing door 4, and when the cam part 44 is stabilized, the cam part 44 is stabilized. The transport guide 38 that is in contact with the head can also maintain a stable position.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, with a simple configuration, the rotation of the conveyance guide 38 can be interlocked with the opening / closing of the second opening / closing door 4, and the conveyance guide 38 can be stably held at the guide position. Further, since the conveyance guide 38 is moved to the guide position by the cam surface 45 formed in a curved surface shape, it can be moved smoothly. Moreover, the cam part 44 can be reduced in size by forming the cam surface 45 of the cam part 44 into a curved surface and making the angle formed with the tip 38d of the conveyance guide 38 an obtuse angle.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above. In addition, the effects described in the embodiments of the present invention only list the most preferable effects resulting from the present invention, and the effects of the present invention are not limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the cam portion 44 is provided on the second opening / closing door 4 of the sheet feeding device 3, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a cam portion may be provided on the first opening / closing door of the image forming apparatus main body 2, and the conveyance guide provided in the vertical conveyance path 26 may be rotated and held.

  In the present embodiment, the cam surface 45 of the cam portion 44 is formed in a curved shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. The cam surface of the cam portion may be shaped so that the conveyance guide moves upward when the second opening / closing door is closed by making the angle formed by the tip of the conveyance guide and the cam surface an obtuse angle. Alternatively, it may be formed in a straight line facing upward.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Image forming apparatus main body 3 Sheet feeding apparatus 4 2nd opening / closing door (opening / closing door)
22 Image forming section 26 Vertical conveyance path 30 Sheet feeding section 31 Feeder main body (apparatus main body)
37a Left conveyance part (sheet conveyance path)
38 Transport guide (guide member)
38a Rotating shaft 38b Upper guide surface 39 Upper guide 40 Second door body 41 Rotating shaft (opening / closing shaft)
44 Cam part 45 Cam surface 46 Holding part S Sheet

Claims (5)

In a sheet feeding apparatus having a sheet conveyance path for conveying a sheet fed from a sheet feeding unit upward toward an image forming unit,
An open / close door that is supported by an open / close shaft arranged in the vertical direction so as to be opened and closed, and capable of opening the sheet conveying path;
A guide position that constitutes the sheet conveyance path when the open / close door is in an open state and the open / close door in an open state is supported by a rotary shaft that is disposed in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the open / close shaft. A guide member that is rotatable between an open position where the sheet conveying path at a certain time can be opened;
When the open / close door is closed from the open state, the cam surface that contacts the tip of the guide member located at the open position and scoops up the guide member toward the guide position and the open / close door are located at the closed position. A holding portion for holding the guide member at the guide position, and a cam portion fixed to the open / close door;
A sheet feeding apparatus characterized by that. The cam portion is configured such that an upper side angle formed by the cam surface and the tip of the guide member becomes an obtuse angle when the opening / closing door is closed and the cam surface and the tip of the guide member are in contact with each other. A surface is formed,
The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1. The cam surface is formed in a curved shape that curves toward the open / close door toward the top of the open / close door.
The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding apparatus is a sheet feeding apparatus. The lower end of the cam surface is located below the tip of the guide member and the rotation shaft.
The sheet feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sheet feeding device is provided. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, and the image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet fed by the sheet feeding apparatus.
An image forming apparatus.

Images