JP2013032210A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image recording device capable of reliably guiding a flap to an original position during mounting of a tray in a structure in which the flap opens a conveyance path with the removal of the tray.SOLUTION: When a tray 20 is mounted to a multifunctional machine 10, a guide flap 91 is supported at a tray 20 at a first position, and forms a portion of a lower surface of a conveyance path 65. The guide flap 91 losing the support is rotatable to a second position opening the conveyance path 65. The rotation to the side of the second position due to the own weight of the guide flap 91 is stopped at a third position by first resistive force provided by a regulation part. The first resistive force allows the rotation to the second position side when second force larger than the first force based on the own weight of the guide flap 91 is applied. The guide flap 91 at a third position abuts against the tray 20 mounted to the multifunctional machine 10, and is rotated to the first position side by being pressed by the tray 20.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus capable of recording an image on a sheet conveyed through a conveyance path provided therein.

  Many image recording apparatuses capable of recording an image on a sheet include a sheet conveyance path therein. The image recording apparatus conveys the sheet along the conveyance path by sandwiching the sheet between the pair of rollers. In addition, the image recording apparatus includes a recording unit that records an image on a sheet in the conveyance path. Patent Document 1 discloses a recording apparatus including a recording head that performs recording by ejecting ink onto a recording medium transported through a transport path provided therein.

  The image recording apparatus also includes a discharge roller that conveys the sheet to a conveyance path where the sheet that has passed through the recording unit is guided, and discharges the sheet to the outside through an opening provided in the apparatus, and a sheet after image recording And a mechanism for preventing it from floating upward. The mechanism is, for example, a roller or a spur.

JP 2005-161839 A

  The conveyance path through which the sheet that has passed through the recording unit is guided is configured with a minimum necessary space for conveying the sheet and is narrow. Further, as described above, the discharge path and a mechanism such as a spur are provided in the conveyance path. Therefore, when a sheet is jammed in the conveyance path, it is difficult for the user to access the jammed sheet through the opening. In such a state, if the sheet is forcibly pulled, the sheet may be torn.

  Moreover, since the conveyance path is narrow, it is difficult for light to reach from the outside, and it is difficult for the user to visually recognize a sheet jammed in the conveyance path through the opening. In particular, when a sheet is torn inside the conveyance path as described above, it is difficult to find a piece of the torn sheet. If another sheet is transported through the transport path in a state where the torn piece of the sheet remains in the transport path, there is a risk of further sheet jamming.

  In order to easily take out a sheet jammed inside, an image recording apparatus is known in which a part of a wall surface defining a conveyance path is configured to be openable and closable. As an example, for example, when a tray on which sheets are stacked is removed from the image recording apparatus, a part of the lower surface that defines the conveyance path is opened.

  In an example of the configuration described above, a part of the lower surface that divides the conveyance path is formed by a flap-shaped member (hereinafter simply referred to as a flap). The flap is pivotally supported at one end side and attached to the lower side of the conveyance path. When the tray is mounted on the image recording apparatus, the flap is supported from below by the tray. At that time, the flap forms a part of the lower surface that defines the conveyance path. In a state where the tray is not attached to the image recording apparatus, the flap that has lost support from below is in a state in which the tip side is suspended downward. That is, a part of the lower surface that defines the conveyance path is opened.

  When removing the sheet from the conveyance path, the user removes the tray from the image recording apparatus. Subsequently, the user puts his hand into the image recording apparatus through the opening in which the tray is mounted, and rotates the front end side of the flap toward the front side. Thus, a passage for accessing the conveyance path from the outside through the opening is formed. After removing the sheet from the conveyance path, the user attaches the tray to the image recording apparatus again. At that time, the flap is pushed by the tray and rotates to the back side of the device. The tray pushes up the flap, and the flap returns to the state of being supported from below.

  In the above-described configuration, the flap that has lost support by the tray may swing like a pendulum due to vibration or the like. When the tray is inserted at the moment when the flap is positioned on the near side as viewed from the user, the surface opposite to the surface on which the flap is supposed to be supported (the surface on the lower surface of the transport path) is supported, I get on the tray. In this state, even if the sheet is conveyed again, there is a possibility that normal conveyance cannot be performed because the conveyance path is not partitioned.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to reliably guide the flap to the original position when the tray is mounted in a configuration in which the flap opens the conveyance path when the tray is removed. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus that can perform the above-described process.

  (1) An image recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a conveyance path that guides a sheet, a conveyance section that is provided in the conveyance path, conveys the sheet, and can place the sheet. A removable tray and one end side are pivotally supported, the transport path is opened from a first position that forms a part of the lower surface that defines the transport path with the shaft as a center, and the one end A flap member that is rotatable in a range up to a second position where the other end side opposite to the side is located above the tray, and a first force based on the weight of the flap member, and a first force based on the weight of the flap member. The flap member rotating to the second position side is stopped at the third position between the first position and the second position, and the flap member is stopped at the third position. On the other hand, it is greater than the first force The second force of the first resistance to be rotatable to said second position the side and a, a restricting portion to be applied to the flap member. The tray has a flap support portion that supports the flap member from below and maintains the flap member in the first position when the tray is mounted on the apparatus. When the flap member is in the third position, the flap member comes into contact with the tray mounted on the apparatus, and rotates toward the first position when pressed by the tray.

  Here, the “first force based on its own weight” is a force that causes gravity to rotate the flap member to the third position side, and “stops the rotation” means that the first force It is to stop the rotation of the flap member including acceleration by force.

  When the tray is mounted on the image recording apparatus, the flap member forms a part of the lower surface that defines the conveyance path at the first position. When the tray is pulled out, the flap member that has lost support by the flap support portion rotates to the second position side by the first force based on its own weight. This rotation is stopped at the third position by the first resistance force generated by the restricting portion. The flap member is rotated from the third position to the second position by the second force by the user's hand. Thus, a passage leading to the transport path is secured. The user can remove the sheet jammed in the conveyance path through this path.

  Since the rotation of the flap member to the second position side is stopped at the third position, the tray mounted on the apparatus reliably contacts the flap member at the third position. The flap member pushed by the tray can return to the first position. As long as the flap member is not rotated by the user's hand, the flap member is not positioned on the second position side from the third position. Therefore, the flap member is supported on the surface opposite to the surface on which the flap member should be originally supported. It is avoided to get on.

  (2) The transport unit may include a pair of rollers disposed vertically opposite to each other in the transport path. The flap member may be supported by a shaft of a lower roller on the lower side of the rollers constituting the roller pair. The restricting portion generates the first resistance force based on contact between a part of a support member that supports an upper upper roller of a pair of rollers and a part of the flap member. Let

  According to such a configuration, it is not necessary to provide a new member for realizing the restricting portion, and the structure around the flap member can be simplified.

  (3) The restricting portion moves the flap member that rotates from the second position to the third position side by the third force based on the weight of the flap member between the third position and the second position. The flap member that stops the rotation at the fourth position and stops at the fourth position is moved toward the first position by a fourth force that is greater than the third force. You may give the 2nd resistance force which enables rotation to the said flap member. When the flap member is in the fourth position, the flap member comes into contact with the tray mounted on the apparatus, and rotates toward the first position when pressed by the tray.

  Here, the “third force based on its own weight” is a force by which gravity tries to rotate the flap member toward the first position, and “stops the rotation” It is to stop the rotation of the flap member including acceleration by force.

  When the user removes his / her hand from the passage during the operation of removing the sheet from the conveyance path, the flap member rotates to the first position side by the third force based on the weight of the flap member. The rotation of the flap member toward the first position is stopped at the fourth position by the second resistance force generated by the restricting portion. Since the fourth position is located between the third position and the second position, when the user resumes the operation of removing the recording paper from the conveyance path, the flap member is rotated again to the first position side. Is easy. In addition, the tray mounted on the apparatus after the operation reliably contacts the flap member at the fourth position. The flap member pushed on the tray by the fourth force can return to the first position.

  (4) The flap member has a bearing portion that is pivotally supported by the shaft, and the restriction portion is formed on the locking piece protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion and the support member. A first contact surface. The locking piece comes into contact with the first contact surface when the flap member is in the third position.

  (5) The flap member has a bearing portion that is pivotally supported by the shaft, and the restriction portion is formed on the locking piece protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion and the support member. You may have a 1st contact surface and a 2nd contact surface. The locking piece contacts the first contact surface when the flap member is in the third position, and the second contact surface when the flap member is in the fourth position. Abut.

  (6) The locking piece intersects the first locking surface and the first locking surface with an acute angle, and is formed along a direction protruding from the peripheral surface. And may have a surface. The first contact surface and the second contact surface are each directed toward the flap member and intersect each other. The first locking surface is in contact with the first contact surface when the flap member is in the third position. The second locking surface contacts the second contact surface when the flap member is in the fourth position.

  (7) The shaft is elastically deformable in a direction in which the flap member is separated from the support member.

  (8) An image recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a conveyance path that guides a sheet, a conveyance unit that is provided in the conveyance path and conveys the sheet by a pair of rollers arranged vertically opposite to each other, and a sheet can be placed thereon. A tray that can be attached to and removed from the apparatus; a support member that supports an upper roller of the rollers that constitute the roller pair; and a lower member of the rollers that constitute the roller pair. One end side is pivotally supported by the shaft of the lower roller, the first transport path is opened from a first position that forms a part of the lower surface that defines the transport path with the shaft as a center, and the above A flap member capable of rotating in a range up to a second position where the other end side opposite to the one end side is located above the tray. The tray has a flap support portion that supports the flap member from below and maintains the flap member in the first position when the tray is mounted on the apparatus. The said flap member has a bearing part pivotally supported by the said axis | shaft. The bearing portion protrudes from a first outer peripheral portion whose distance from the center of the shaft to the outer periphery thereof is a first distance and a peripheral surface of the first outer peripheral portion, and a distance from the center of the shaft to the tip end Has a second outer peripheral portion that is a second distance longer than the first distance. The center of the shaft and the support member are separated by a third distance that is longer than the first distance and shorter than the second distance. At least one of the support member and the flap member can be elastically separated from the other by a distance equal to or greater than a fourth distance that is a difference between the second distance and the third distance. In a state where the support member and the flap member are not separated from each other, the second outer peripheral portion is configured such that the support member is located when the flap member is at a third position between the first position and the second position. And the rotation to the second position side due to the weight of the flap member is stopped. When the flap member is in the third position, the flap member comes into contact with the tray mounted on the apparatus, and rotates toward the first position when pressed by the tray.

  Since the distance between the center of the shaft and the tip of the second outer peripheral portion is the second distance and the distance between the center of the shaft and the support member is the third distance shorter than the second distance, the second due to the weight of the flap member. The rotation to the position side is stopped at the third position by the contact between the second outer peripheral portion and the support member. Further, since at least one of the support member and the flap member can be elastically separated from the other by a distance longer than the fourth distance, which is the difference between the second distance and the third distance, In a state where the member and the flap member are separated from each other, the distance between the center of the shaft and the support member is longer than the second distance, the contact between the second outer peripheral portion and the support member is released, and the flap member is in the third position. To the second position side.

  In the present invention, the flap member can be reliably guided to the original position when the tray is mounted. In particular, it is avoided that the flap member is supported on the surface opposite to the surface on which the flap member should originally be supported and gets on the tray.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multifunction machine 10 as an example of the first 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 side view of the tray 20. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the periphery of the guide flap 91 in the first position. Note that components other than the tray 20, the support shaft 58, the third transport roller 45, the upper second guide member 90, and the guide flap 91 are omitted. Only a part of the tray 20 is shown. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view corresponding to FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating how the position of the guide flap 91 changes. (A) shows a state in which the tray 20 is mounted and the guide flap 91 is in the first position. (B) is a moment when the tray 20 is removed, and shows a state in which the guide flap 91 is in the second position. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating how the position of the guide flap 91 changes. (A) has shown the state which has the guide flap 91 in a 2nd position. (B) shows the state in which the guide flap 91 is at the fourth position at the moment when the tray 20 is mounted. FIG. 9 shows a state where the guide flap 91 is in the second position and the passage 111 is formed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described 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. 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).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the multifunction machine 10 is generally formed in a thin rectangular parallelepiped, and a printer unit 11 of an ink jet recording system is provided at the lower part. The multifunction machine 10 has various functions such as a facsimile function and a print function. The print function has a double-sided image recording function for recording images on both sides of the recording paper. The presence or absence of functions other than the print function is arbitrary. The printer unit 11 includes a casing (housing) 14 having an opening 13 formed in the front, and a tray 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) on which recording sheets of various sizes (an example of the sheet of the present invention) can be placed. An example of the tray of the present invention can be inserted and removed from the opening 13 in the front-rear direction 8. That is, the tray 20 can be attached to and removed from the multifunction machine 10. A more detailed configuration of the tray 20 will be described later.

[Configuration of Printer Unit 11]
As shown in FIG. 2, the printer unit 11 is provided above the tray 20 and picks up and feeds recording paper from the tray 20, and is fed by the paper feeding unit 15. An ink jet recording type recording unit 24 that discharges ink droplets onto a recording sheet to record an image on the recording sheet, a guide plate 41, and the like are provided. The recording unit 24 is not limited to the ink jet system, and various recording systems such as an electrophotographic system can be applied.

[Paper Feeder 15]
As shown in FIG. 2, the paper feeding unit 15 is provided above the tray 20 and below the recording unit 24. The paper feed unit 15 includes a paper feed roller 25, a paper feed arm 26, and a drive transmission mechanism 27. The paper feed roller 25 is pivotally supported at the tip of the paper feed arm 26. The paper feed arm 26 rotates in the direction of an arrow 29 about a support shaft 28 provided at the base end. Thereby, the paper feed roller 25 can be brought into contact with and separated from the tray 20. That is, the paper feed roller 25 can come into contact with the recording paper placed on the tray 20. The sheet feeding roller 25 is rotated by a driving force transmitted from a sheet feeding motor (not shown) by a drive transmission mechanism 27 in which a plurality of gears are engaged. The paper feed roller 25 is a curved path that will be described below by separating the recording paper from the other recording paper in contact with the uppermost recording paper among the recording papers stacked on the tray 20. Supply to 65A.

[Conveyance path 65]
As shown in FIG. 2, inside the printer unit 11, there is a conveyance path 65 (the conveyance path of the present invention) from the front end (rear end) of the tray 20 to the discharge holding section 79 through the recording unit 24. An example) is formed. The conveyance path 65 is divided into a curved path 65 </ b> A formed between the leading end of the tray 20 and the recording unit 24, and a paper discharge path 65 </ b> B formed between the recording unit 24 and the paper discharge holding unit 79. .

  The curved path 65 </ b> A is a curved path extending from the vicinity of the upper end of the separation inclined plate 22 provided in the tray 20 to the recording unit 24. The curved path 65 </ b> A is generally formed in an arc shape centering on the inside of the printer unit 11. The recording paper fed from the tray 20 travels along the curved path 65A along the conveyance direction (the direction indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 2) in the first conveyance direction (the direction of the arrow attached to the one-dot chain line in FIG. 2). It is curved and guided directly below the recording unit 24. The curved path 65A is defined by an outer guide member 18 and an inner guide member 19 that face each other with a predetermined interval. Note that each of the outer guide member 18 and the inner guide member 19 and guide members 82, 83, 31, and 32, which will be described later, extend in the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2 (the left-right direction 9 in FIG. 1). .

  The paper discharge path 65 </ b> B is a linear path extending from directly below the recording unit 24 to the paper discharge holding unit 79. The recording paper is guided through the paper discharge path 65B in the first transport direction. The paper discharge path 65B is formed by the recording unit 24 and the platen 42 facing each other at a predetermined interval at a location where the recording unit 24 is provided, and at a location where the recording unit 24 is not provided. An upper first guide member 82 and an upper second guide member 90 (an example of a support member of the present invention) facing each other with a predetermined interval, a lower guide member 83 and a guide flap 91 (a flap member of the present invention) to be described later. For example). A more detailed configuration of the upper second guide member 90 will be described later.

  A branch position 36 exists downstream of the recording unit 24 in the first conveyance direction and above the guide flap 91. At the time of double-sided image recording, the recording sheet conveyed through the paper discharge path 65B is switched back downstream of the branch position 36 and conveyed toward the reverse conveyance path 67 described later.

[Recording unit 24]
As shown in FIG. 2, the recording unit 24 is disposed above the tray 20. The recording unit 24 reciprocates in the left-right direction 9 (direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2). A platen 42 for holding or supporting the recording paper horizontally is provided at a position below the recording unit 24 and facing the recording unit 24 across the conveyance path 65. In the process of reciprocating in the left-right direction 9, the recording unit 24 discharges ink supplied from an ink cartridge (not shown) from a nozzle 39 onto a recording sheet conveyed on the platen 42. As a result, an image is recorded on the recording paper in the conveyance path 65.

[Conveying rollers 45, 60, 62]
As shown in FIG. 2, a first transport roller 60 and a pinch roller 61 are provided between the downstream ends of the outer guide member 18 and the inner guide member 19 in the first transport direction and the recording unit 24. The pinch roller 61 is disposed below the first transport roller 60 and is pressed against the roller surface of the first transport roller 60 by an elastic member such as a spring (not shown). 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.

  Between the platen 42 and the upper first guide member 82 and the lower guide member 83, that is, downstream of the platen 42 in the first transport direction, a first roller pair 59 including a second transport roller 62 and a spur 63 is provided. Is provided. The spur 63 is disposed above the second conveyance roller 62 and is pressed against the roller surface of the second conveyance roller 62 by an elastic member such as a spring (not shown). The second conveying roller 62 and the spur 63 pinch the recording sheet on which the image is recorded by the recording unit 24 and convey it to the downstream side in the first conveying direction.

  The transport rollers 60 and 62 are rotated by a rotational driving force transmitted from a transport motor (not shown) via a drive transmission mechanism (not shown). The drive transmission mechanism is composed of a planetary gear or the like, and rotates each of the transport rollers 60 and 62 in one rotation direction regardless of whether the transport motor is rotated in the forward rotation direction or the reverse rotation direction. Thereby, the recording sheet is conveyed in the first conveying direction.

  A second roller pair 44 (main book) composed of a third transport roller 45 (an example of the lower roller of the present invention) and a spur 46 (an example of the upper roller of the present invention) downstream of the branch position 36 in the first transport direction. An example of a roller pair of the invention is provided. The spur 46 is attached to the upper second guide member 90 via a shaft. The spur 46 is disposed above the third transport roller 45 and is pressed against the roller surface of the third transport roller 45 by an elastic member such as a spring (not shown).

  The 3rd conveyance roller 45 is pivotally supported by the spindle 58 (an example of the axis | shaft of this invention). A total of six third transport rollers 45 (FIGS. 2 and 4) are provided in the left-right direction 9, that is, along the axial direction of the support shaft 58. Although omitted in FIG. 4, spurs 46 (FIG. 2) are provided at corresponding positions above the third conveyance roller 45. That is, a total of six second roller pairs 44 (FIG. 2) are provided along the left-right direction 9.

  The support shaft 58 is urged toward the upper second guide member 90 by an elastic member such as a spring. When receiving a downward force exceeding the biasing force, the support shaft 58 elastically moves downward and is separated from the upper second guide member 90. As a result, the contact between the third transport roller 45 and the spur 46 is released.

  A driving force in the forward / reverse rotation direction is transmitted from the transport motor to the support shaft 58, and the third transport roller 45 is rotated forward or reverse. For example, when single-sided recording is performed, the third transport roller 45 is rotated forward. As a result, the recording sheet is sandwiched between the third conveying roller 45 and the spur 46 and conveyed downstream in the first conveying direction, and is discharged to the discharge holding unit 79. On the other hand, when double-sided recording is performed, the rotation direction of the third conveyance roller 45 is switched from normal rotation to reverse rotation with the third conveyance roller 45 and the spur 46 sandwiching the trailing edge of the recording sheet. Thus, the recording sheet is conveyed in the direction opposite to the first conveyance direction, that is, in the second conveyance direction described later, and is conveyed toward the reverse conveyance path 67 described later by the guide plate 41 described below.

  Although details will be described later, a guide flap 91 that divides a part of the conveyance path 65 is attached to the support shaft 58. Here, the first conveying roller 60, the pinch roller 61, the second conveying roller 62, the spur 63, the third conveying roller 45, the spur 46, and the fourth conveying roller 68 and the driven roller 69 described later are respectively described above. It constitutes a part of the transport section of the present invention.

[Guide plate 41]
As shown in FIG. 2, the guide plate 41 is disposed downstream of the second transport roller 62 in the first transport direction and upstream of the branch position 36 in the first transport direction. That is, the above-described second roller pair 44 is provided downstream of the guide plate 41 in the first transport direction. The guide plate 41 includes auxiliary rollers 47 and 48, a flap 49 and a support shaft 87.

  A support shaft 87 extending in the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2 (left and right direction 9 in FIG. 1) is provided on the frame of the printer unit 11 and the like. The support shaft 87 is provided above the paper discharge path 65B. The flap 49 extends from the support shaft 87 to the downstream side in the first transport direction, and is rotatably supported by the support shaft 87. That is, the guide plate 41 is provided above the paper discharge path 65B. An auxiliary roller 47 and an auxiliary roller 48 are pivotally supported on the flap 49. Since the roller surfaces of the auxiliary rollers 47 and 48 are in contact with the recording surface of the recording paper, they are formed in a spur shape like the spur 63 and the spur 46.

  The flap 49 is configured such that the posture can be changed, and the discharge posture (the posture indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 2) positioned above the lower guide member 83 and the extended end portion 49 </ b> A from the branch position 36. It rotates between a reverse attitude (an attitude indicated by a solid line in FIG. 2) entering downward.

  The guide plate 41 holds the inverted posture by its own weight in the normal state. In this state, when the leading edge of the recording paper that has passed through the lower side of the recording unit 24 reaches the guide plate 41, the guide plate 41 is pushed onto the upper surface of the recording paper, and the posture is changed from the inverted posture to the discharging posture. In this state, the recording paper continuously conveyed is sandwiched between the second roller pair 44. Since the third transport roller 45 is rotating forward with the guide plate 41 maintained in the discharge posture, the recording paper is transported to the paper discharge tray 21 side. After that, when the rear end of the recording paper reaches a specified position upstream of the auxiliary roller 48, the guide plate 41 rotates to the reverse posture side by its own weight rather than the force by which the recording paper pushes up the guide plate 41. The power to do becomes stronger. Thereby, the posture of the guide plate 41 is changed from the discharge posture to the reverse posture. As a result, the trailing edge of the recording sheet is pressed downward by the auxiliary roller 48 and directed toward the reverse conveyance path 67.

  When single-sided recording is performed, the third conveyance roller 45 maintains normal rotation, so the second roller pair 44 discharges the recording paper to the paper discharge holding unit 79. On the other hand, when double-sided recording is performed, the third conveyance roller 45 is switched from normal rotation to reverse rotation in a state where the rear end portion of the recording sheet is directed to the reverse conveyance path 67 side. As a result, the second roller pair 44 conveys the recording paper to the reverse conveyance path 67 by switchback.

[Reverse conveying path 67]
As shown in FIG. 2, the reverse conveyance path 67 (an example of the conveyance path of the present invention) is branched from the paper discharge path 65 </ b> B at the branch position 36 and passes below the recording unit 24 and above the paper feed arm 26. Thus, the curved path 65A joins at the joining position 37 upstream of the platen 42 in the first transport direction. The recording sheet is conveyed in the second conveyance direction along the reverse conveyance path 67. Here, the second conveyance direction is a direction from the branch position 36 toward the merging direction 37 in the reverse conveyance path 67 and indicates a direction indicated by a two-dot chain line with an arrow in FIG.

  The reverse conveyance path 67 is partitioned by a first guide member 31 and a second guide member 32 that face each other with a predetermined interval therebetween.

[Fourth transport roller 68]
As shown in FIG. 2, the reverse conveyance path 67 is provided with a fourth conveyance roller 68 and a driven roller 69. The driven roller 69 is disposed below the recording unit 24 and above the fourth conveyance roller 68.

  The fourth transport roller 68 is disposed in the reverse transport path 67 at a position below and following the driven roller 69. The fourth transport roller 68 is forwardly or reversely rotated by receiving a driving force in the forward / reverse rotation direction from the transport motor. In the present embodiment, the conveyance roller pair 70 has a reverse conveyance path by sandwiching a recording sheet between the fourth conveyance roller 68 and the driven roller 69 when the conveyance motor is rotated in the reverse direction. The recording sheet conveyed to 67 is conveyed in the second conveyance direction.

[Tray 20]
As described above, the tray 20 shown in FIG. 3 is configured to be insertable / removable in the front-rear direction 8 from the opening 13 of the printer unit 11. Although only one is shown in FIG. 3, side walls 92 are formed at both ends of the tray 20 in the left-right direction 9 (direction perpendicular to the paper surface). The tray 20 has a placement portion 93 on which recording sheets are stacked between two side walls 92. A handle 94 is provided at the front end of the tray 20 in the front-rear direction 8 so that the user can remove the tray 20 from the opening 13.

  Each side wall 92 is provided with a flap support portion 95 (an example of a flap support portion of the present invention) that is convex upward. By the flap support part 95, the upper end of each side wall 92 is raised about several cm. The flap support portion 95 of each side wall 92 is formed at a position overlapping when viewed from the left-right direction 9. Specifically, the flap support portions 95 are each formed near the front end in the front-rear direction 8. Although details will be described later, the flap support unit 95 supports a guide flap 91 described below from below in a state where the tray 20 is mounted on the multifunction machine 10.

[Guide flap 91]
The guide flap 91 shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 has a generally flat plate shape with the first surface 96 (FIGS. 5 and 6) and the second surface 97 (FIGS. 5 and 6) as front and back surfaces. The guide flap 91 is attached to the support shaft 58 via a bearing portion 98 (an example of a bearing portion of the present invention). That is, the guide flap 91 is attached coaxially with the six third transport rollers 45. The bearing portion 98 is formed at the base end portion 112 which is one end of the guide flap 91 in the short direction. The bearing portions 98 are formed at both ends in the left-right direction 9, and are attached to the support shaft 58 on both outer sides in the left-right direction 9 with respect to the six third transport rollers 45.

  Although not confirmed from FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the second surface 97 of the guide flap 91 is a continuous plane formed in a plate shape. On the other hand, the first surface 96 is formed by a mesh-like reinforcing wall 113 erected on the opposite side to the second surface 97. That is, the first surface 96 is formed along the tip of the reinforcing wall 113.

  A protrusion 99 protrudes from a boundary portion between the base end portion 112 of the guide flap 91 and the first surface 96 in a direction orthogonal to the first surface 96. Two protrusions 99 are provided substantially on both outer sides in the left-right direction 9. Although details will be described later, the protrusion 99 comes into contact with the upper second guide member 90 in the second position (an example of the second position of the present invention, FIG. 8A), so that the guide flap 91 is in the first direction. The rotation to 109 (FIG. 7A) is stopped.

  A total of 14 upper pieces 114 and one lower piece 115 extend from the base end portion 112 along the left-right direction 9. The upper piece 114 and the lower piece 115 are sections formed in a substantially arc shape, and each partially surrounds the support shaft 58. In the first position shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7A (an example of the first position of the present invention), the upper piece 114 surrounds the upper half of the support shaft 58, and the lower side. The piece 115 surrounds the lower half of the support shaft 58 in general. The upper piece 114 and the lower piece 115 support the guide flap 91 with respect to the support shaft 58 together with the bearing portion 98. Further, the upper piece 114 and the lower piece 115 play a role of making the rotation smooth by sliding on the peripheral surface of the bearing portion 98 when the guide flap 91 is rotated.

  The outer sides of the guide flaps 91 in the left-right direction 9 are formed such that the distance from the base end 112 to the turning tip is partly longer than the other parts. That is, the turning tip is located on the outer peripheral side with respect to the other portions. When the guide flap 91 is in the first position, the flap support portion 95 is located in the vicinity of the turning tip. The flap support part 95 supports the guide flap 91 from the first surface 96 side.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the two bearing portions 98 are provided so as to extend from the base end portion 112 at both ends in the left-right direction 9. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the outer peripheral surface 100 of the bearing portion 98 (an example of the outer peripheral surface of the present invention) is formed continuously from the second surface 97 and extends along the peripheral surface of the support shaft 58. It is curved. A step is formed on the outer peripheral surface 100 in the left-right direction 9. Due to the step, the outer side in the left-right direction 9 is positioned on the outer peripheral side than the inner side.

  Similar to the outer peripheral surface 100, the inner peripheral surface 116 of the bearing portion 98 is curved along the peripheral surface of the support shaft 58. A C-shaped groove 101 is formed in the guide flap 91 along the inner peripheral surface 116. The groove 101 is opened on the first surface 96 side, and extends along the left-right direction 9 by the same length as the width of the outer peripheral surface 100.

  Since the support shaft 58 is held inside the groove 101, the guide flap 91 is attached to the support shaft 58. The guide flap 91 is supported by the flap support portion 95 at the first position, and the groove 101 is directed downward.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the claws 103 (FIG. 5) protrude from the periphery of the edge 102 which is the boundary between the groove 101 and the outer peripheral surface 100 and the first surface 96. The claw 103 protrudes toward the center of the groove 101 so that the tips thereof face each other. The claw 103 has an approximately isosceles triangle shape when viewed from the left-right direction 9 and has a certain thickness in the left-right direction 9. The distance between the tips of the pair of claws 103 is slightly shorter than the outer diameter of the support shaft 58. Therefore, the support shaft 58 is held inside the bearing portion 98 by the claw 103.

  The guide flap 91 is attached to the support shaft 58 by the following method, for example. First, the support shaft 58 is applied to the groove 101 and pushed between the pair of claws 103. Since the distance between the tips of the pair of claws 103 is shorter than the outer diameter of the support shaft 58, the bearing portion 98 is elastically deformed in a direction in which the claws 103 are separated from each other. When the support shaft 58 passes between the claws 103, the shape of the bearing portion 98 is elastically restored. Thus, the support shaft 58 is held in the groove 101. Since the inner diameter of the groove 101 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the support shaft 58, the guide flap 91 is rotatable about the support shaft 58 on the tip side opposite to the bearing portion 98.

  A locking piece 104 (an example of a locking piece of the present invention) protrudes from the outer peripheral surface 100 of the right bearing portion 98 in the left-right direction 9. The locking piece 104 protrudes from the outermost side in the left-right direction 9 in the outer peripheral surface 100. The width of the locking piece 104 in the left-right direction 9 is about half of the width of the outer peripheral surface 100.

  The locking piece 104 has a first locking surface 105 (an example of the first locking surface of the present invention) and a second locking surface 106 (an example of the second locking surface of the present invention). The second locking surface 106 is directed substantially on the same side as the first surface 96, and is formed as a surface parallel to the first surface 96. The first locking surface 105 is a surface that intersects the second locking surface 106 with an acute angle of about 30 degrees at the tip of the locking piece 104. That is, the first locking surface 105 and the second locking surface 106 are generally directed to opposite sides. The first locking surface 105 and the second locking surface 106 are not inclined in the left-right direction 9. That is, the two surfaces are planes parallel to the axis of the support shaft 58, respectively. Here, the portion corresponding to the outer peripheral surface 100 of the bearing portion 98 is an example of the first outer peripheral portion of the present invention, and the tip of the locking piece 104 (the first locking surface 105 and the second locking surface 106 The portion corresponding to (intersection position) is an example of the second outer peripheral portion of the present invention.

[Upper second guide member 90]
The upper second guide member 90 shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 has a substantially flat plate shape with the left-right direction 9 as the longitudinal direction. As described above, the upper second guide member 90 is provided above the support shaft 58 and defines a part of the transport path 65. A spur 46 (not shown) is axially supported by the upper second guide member 90 above each third transport roller 45. The spur 46 is in pressure contact with the third transport roller 45.

  Above the bearing portion 98 in the upper second guide member 90, a first contact surface 107 (FIGS. 5 and 6, an example of the first contact surface of the present invention) and a second contact surface that are generally directed downward. 108 (FIGS. 5 and 6, an example of the second contact surface of the present invention) is formed. The first abutment surface 107 is inclined so as to be positioned downward as it is rearward in the front-rear direction 8, and the second abutment surface 108 is inclined so as to be positioned downward as it is forward in the front-rear direction 8. The first contact surface 107 and the second contact surface 108 intersect at an obtuse angle of about 130 degrees at the lowest position. The first contact surface 107 and the second contact surface 108 are not inclined in the left-right direction 9. That is, the two surfaces are parallel to the axis of the support shaft 58, respectively. Here, the 1st contact surface 107, the 2nd contact surface 108, and the locking piece 104 of the bearing part 98 mentioned above each function as a part of regulation part of this invention.

[Positional relationship between guide flap 91 and upper second guide member 90]
FIG. 6 shows distances L1, L2, and L3, respectively. The distance L1 (an example of the first distance of the present invention) is the maximum distance from the center of the support shaft 58 to the outer peripheral surface 100 of the bearing portion 98. The distance L2 (an example of the second distance of the present invention) is a distance from the center of the support shaft 58 to the tip of the locking piece 104, that is, the intersection of the first locking surface 105 and the first locking surface 106. is there. The distance L3 (an example of the third distance of the present invention) is the shortest distance from the center of the support shaft 58 to the upper second guide member 90, that is, the intersection position of the first contact surface 107 and the second contact surface 108. It is the distance to. Here, the relationship of L2>L3> L1 is established.

  Since L3> L1, the outer peripheral surface 100 does not come into contact with the upper second guide member 90, and a certain gap is interposed between them. Further, since L2> L3, the locking piece 104 is in contact with the upper second guide member 90 at a predetermined position of the guide flap 91 in the rotation angle range. Although details will be described later, when the guide flap 91 is in the third position (the position of FIG. 7B, an example of the third position of the present invention), the first locking surface 105 of the locking piece 104 is It contacts the first contact surface 107 of the upper second guide member 90. Further, when the guide flap 91 is in the fourth position (the position of FIG. 8B, an example of the fourth position of the present invention), the second locking surface 106 of the locking piece 104 is the upper second guide member. 90 abuts on the second abutment surface 108.

[Operation of guide flap 91]
As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, in a state where the tray 20 is mounted on the multifunction machine 10, the flap support portion 95 is positioned directly below the guide flap 91. The guide flap 91 is maintained in the first position (the position shown in FIG. 7A) with the first surface 96 supported from below by the flap support portion 95. That is, the tray 20 is in a state where recording paper can be supplied to the conveyance path 65, and the guide flap 91 has a second surface 97 that defines a part of the lower surface of the conveyance path 65. This state is a state in which the printer unit 11 can record an image.

  First, a procedure when the user replenishes recording paper will be described. When the tray 20 is removed from the multifunction machine 10, the guide flap 91 that has lost support by the flap support portion 95 rotates in the first direction 109 shown in FIG. 7A due to its own weight. At this time, the rotation of the guide flap 91 is shown in FIG. 7B because the first locking surface 105 of the locking piece 104 contacts the first contact surface 107 of the upper second guide member 90. Stopped at the third position. The third position is a position where the leading end of the guide flap 91 faces slightly rearward in the front-rear direction 8 rather than below the vertical direction 7. That is, the turning tip of the guide flap 91 is directed slightly behind the opening 13. Here, the force with which the guide flap 91 tries to rotate in the first direction 109 by its own weight corresponds to the first force of the present invention. Moreover, the force which stops rotation of the guide flap 91 by contact | abutting with the 1st latching surface 105 and the 1st contact surface 107 is equivalent to the 1st resistance force of this invention.

  The user removes the tray 20 partially or completely and replenishes the recording paper, and then attaches the tray 20 to the multifunction machine 10 again. In the process of inserting the tray 20, the flap support portion 95 comes into contact with the first surface 96 of the guide flap 91 stopped at the third position. When the tray 20 is further inserted in this state, the guide flap 91 is pressed by the flap support portion 95 and rotates in the second direction 110 shown in FIG. 7B. When the tray 20 is inserted to the end, the flap support part 95 pushes up the guide flap 91, and the guide flap 91 returns to the first position again. That is, the printer unit 11 is ready for image recording.

  Next, a procedure when the user removes the recording paper jammed in the conveyance path 65 will be described. First, the user completely removes the tray 20 from the multifunction machine 10. At this time, the guide flap 91 is rotated in the first direction 109 and stopped at the third position, which is similar to the procedure for replenishing the recording paper described above.

  The user puts his hand into the opening 13 and pulls the guide flap 91 stopped at the third position toward the front side, that is, in the first direction 109. At this time, the first locking surface 105 of the locking piece 104 presses the first contact surface 107 of the upper second guide member 90, and the guide flap 91 and the upper second guide member 90 are separated from each other. Receive the power of When this force is greater than a predetermined value, the guide shaft 91 and the upper second guide member 90 are relatively separated from each other by elastically moving the support shaft 58 downward.

  The distance at which the guide flap 91 and the upper second guide member 90 can be separated is at least a difference between the distance L2 and the distance L3 (an example of the fourth distance of the present invention). Therefore, in a state where the guide flap 91 and the upper second guide member 90 are separated from each other, there is a gap for the locking piece 104 to slide on the first contact surface 107 and move to the second contact surface 108 side. Occurs between the two. Thereby, the guide flap 91 can be further rotated in the first direction 109 beyond the third position. Here, the force with which the user pulls the guide flap 91 in the first direction 109 corresponds to the second force of the present invention.

  The user rotates the guide flap 91 in the first direction 109 to the second position shown in FIG. The second position is a position where the protrusion 99 of the guide flap 91 comes into contact with the upper second guide member 90 and the rotation in the first direction 109 is stopped. At this time, the turning tip of the guide flap 91 is positioned above the support shaft 58.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the guide flap 91 rotates to the second position, thereby forming a passage 111 that leads from the opening 13 (FIG. 1) to the conveyance path 65 via the lower portion of the guide flap 91. . The user can reach the conveyance path 65 from the path 111 and take out the recording paper jammed in the conveyance path 65.

  The user removes his / her hand from the passage 111 when the operation of taking out the recording paper is completed or when the operation is temporarily interrupted. The guide flap 91 that has lost support by the user's hand rotates in the second direction 110 by its own weight. At this time, the rotation of the guide flap 91 is shown in FIG. 8B because the second locking surface 106 of the locking piece 104 contacts the second contact surface 108 of the upper second guide member 90. Stopped at the 4th position. The fourth position is a position between the third position and the second position, in which the turning tip of the guide flap 91 faces slightly forward in the front-rear direction 8 from below the vertical direction 7. That is, the turning tip of the guide flap 91 is directed slightly toward the front side of the opening 13. Here, the force with which the guide flap 91 tries to rotate in the second direction 110 by its own weight corresponds to the third force of the present invention. Moreover, the force which stops rotation of the guide flap 91 by contact | abutting with the 2nd latching surface 106 and the 2nd contact surface 108 is equivalent to the 2nd resistance force of this invention.

  When the user resumes the operation of taking out the interrupted recording sheet, the user secures the passage 111 by rotating the guide flap 91 in the fourth position again in the first direction 109 to the second position. On the other hand, when the user finishes taking out the recording paper, the user attaches the tray 20 to the multifunction machine 10 so that the printer unit 11 can record an image.

  In the process of inserting the tray 20, the flap support portion 95 comes into contact with the first surface 96 of the guide flap 91 stopped at the fourth position. At this time, the second locking surface 106 of the locking piece 104 presses the second contact surface 108 of the upper second guide member 90 by the force for inserting the tray 20, and the guide flap 91 and the upper second guide member 90 receives a force in a direction away from each other. When this force is larger than a predetermined value, the support shaft 58 is elastically moved downward and the guide flap 91 and the upper second guide member 90 are separated from each other in the same manner as the rotation in the first direction described above. Accordingly, a gap is generated between the guide flap 91 and the upper second guide member 90 so that the locking piece 104 slides on the second contact surface 108 and moves to the first contact surface 107 side. . The guide flap 91 can be rotated in the second direction 110 beyond the fourth position. Here, the force acting on the guide flap 91 by pressing from the flap support portion 95 corresponds to the fourth force of the present invention.

  When the tray 20 is further inserted from there, the guide flap 91 is pressed by the flap support portion 95 and rotated in the second direction 110. When the tray 20 is inserted to the end, the flap support part 95 pushes up the guide flap 91, and the guide flap 91 returns to the first position again. That is, the printer unit 11 is ready for image recording.

[Effects of Embodiment]
Since the rotation of the guide flap 91 in the first direction due to its own weight is stopped at the third position, the guide flap 91 should be positioned on the second position side of the third position unless the guide flap 91 is rotated by the user's hand. There is no. That is, it is avoided that the guide flap 91 is supported on the second surface 97 opposite to the first surface 96 to be originally supported and gets on the tray.

  In addition, since the guide flap 91 stopped at the third position can be rotated to the second position beyond the third position by the user's hand, the user can record in the conveyance path 65 through the passage 111. The paper can be easily taken out.

  Further, the guide flap 91 stopped at the third position is pressed by the flap support portion 95 of the tray 20 inserted into the opening 13 and can rotate to the first position in the second direction. The flap 91 can be reliably guided to the first position.

  Further, since the rotation of the guide flap 91 is stopped by the contact between the locking piece 104 of the guide flap 91 and the upper second guide member 90, a new mechanism is provided for preventing the rotation of the guide flap 91. There is no need to provide a member, and the structure around the guide flap 91 can be simplified.

  Further, since the rotation of the guide flap 91 in the second direction due to its own weight is stopped at the fourth position on the near side of the third position, the user resumes the operation of taking out the recording paper from the conveyance path 65. Furthermore, it becomes easy to rotate the guide flap 91 to the second position again.

  Further, the guide flap 91 stopped at the fourth position is pressed by the flap support portion 95 of the tray 20 inserted into the opening 13 and can rotate to the first position beyond the fourth position. The guide flap 91 can be reliably guided to the first position.

[Modification]
In the embodiment described above, the locking piece 104 is provided on the right bearing portion 98 in the left-right direction 9, but the locking piece 104 may be provided on the left bearing portion 98 in the left-right direction 9. Alternatively, it may be provided in the bearing portions 98 on both the left and right sides. Further, more bearing portions 98 may be provided along the axial direction of the support shaft 58, and the locking piece 104 may be provided on any of the bearing portions 98. In that case, the first contact surface 107 and the second contact surface 108 are formed at positions corresponding to the respective locking pieces 104 in the upper second guide member 90. The number of the locking pieces 104 provided on the guide flap 91 can be determined as appropriate based on the force required to stop the rotation of the guide flap 91 at the third position and the fourth position.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the upper second guide member 90 and the guide flap 91 are separated by the support shaft 58 elastically moving downward, but the upper second guide member 90 and the guide flap 91 are separated. Different configurations may be employed to separate the two. For example, the upper second guide member 90 and the guide flap 91 may be separated by elastically bending the support shaft 58. Further, an elastic member may be interposed between the bearing portion 98 and the support shaft 58, and the guide flap 91 may move elastically with respect to the support shaft 58. Further, the upper second guide member 90 may be elastically supported so as to be movable upward. Moreover, the clearance gap between the upper 2nd guide member 90 and the guide flap 91 may be ensured because at least one of the upper 2nd guide member 90 and the guide flap 91 bends or changes shape. Alternatively, a plurality of these methods may be used in combination.

  Further, the shaft that supports the guide flap 91 need not be the support shaft 58, and may be a different shaft. For example, the guide flap 91 may be pivotally supported on a shaft of a different roller for conveying the recording paper, or a dedicated shaft for supporting the guide flap 91 may be provided.

  Further, in order to stop the guide flap 91 at the third position and the fourth position, a configuration different from the above-described configuration may be used. For example, the locking piece 104 may be a different member attached to the outer peripheral surface 100 of the bearing portion 98, or the posture may be changed so that the contact with the upper second guide member 90 is released by a load. Good.

  In addition, a recess may be formed in the outer peripheral surface 100 of the bearing portion 98, and a protrusion may protrude from the upper second guide member 90. In that case, the protrusion fits into the recess at the third position and the fourth position. Alternatively, such fitting may be performed between the support shaft 58 and the bearing portion 98. That is, protrusions may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the support shaft 58, and depressions may be formed on the inner peripheral surface 116 of the bearing portion 98. Alternatively, a recess may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the support shaft 58, and a protrusion may be formed on the inner peripheral surface 116 of the bearing portion 98.

  In addition to the method described above, any method may be used as long as it can stop the guide flap 91 at the third position and the fourth position, such as a method using the driving force of the motor. In addition, the guide flap 91 is not necessarily stopped at the third position and the fourth position, and may be stopped only at the third position in order to simplify the configuration around the guide flap 91.

10. Multifunction machine (image recording device)
20 ... Tray 44 ... Second roller pair (roller pair)
45 ... Third transport roller (lower roller, transport section)
46 ... spur (upper roller, transport section)
58 ... Support shaft (shaft)
60 ... 1st conveyance roller (conveyance part)
61 ... Pinch roller (conveying section)
62: Second transport roller (transport section)
63 ... spur (conveyance unit)
65 ... transport path 67 ... reverse transport path (transport path)
68: Fourth transport roller (transport section)
69 .. Followed roller (conveying section)
90 ... Upper second guide member (support member)
91 ... Guide flap (Flap member)
95 ... flap support part 98 ... bearing part 100 ... outer peripheral surface (outer peripheral surface, first outer peripheral part)
104 ... locking piece (locking piece, regulating part, second outer peripheral part)
105... First locking surface 106... Second locking surface 107... First contact surface (first contact surface, restricting portion)
108 ... 2nd contact surface (2nd contact surface, regulation part)

Claims (8)

A conveyance path for guiding the sheet;
A conveyance unit that is provided in the conveyance path and conveys the sheet;
A tray on which a sheet can be placed and which can be attached to and removed from the apparatus;
One end side is pivotally supported, and the other end opposite to the one end side is opened from the first position that forms a part of the lower surface that defines the transport path with the shaft as a center. A flap member capable of rotating in a range up to a second position where the side is located above the tray;
The flap member that rotates from the first position to the second position side by the first force based on the weight of the flap member is rotated at a third position between the first position and the second position. And the flap member stopped at the third position can be turned to the second position side by a second force larger than the first force. A restricting portion for imparting a resistance force to the flap member,
The tray has a flap support portion that supports the flap member from below and maintains the flap member in the first position when mounted on the apparatus.
When the flap member is in the third position, the flap member is in contact with the tray mounted on the apparatus and is rotated toward the first position when pressed by the tray. The transport unit includes a pair of rollers disposed vertically opposite to each other in the transport path.
The flap member is supported by the shaft of the lower roller on the lower side among the rollers constituting the roller pair,
The restricting portion generates the first resistance force based on contact between a part of a support member that supports an upper upper roller of a pair of rollers and a part of the flap member. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1. The restricting portion rotates the flap member that rotates from the second position to the third position side by a third force based on the weight of the flap member, between the third position and the second position. The flap member that stops at the position and stops at the fourth position can be rotated toward the first position by a fourth force that is larger than the third force. A second resistance force is applied to the flap member,
The said flap member contacts the said tray with which the said apparatus is mounted | worn when it exists in the said 4th position, and rotates to the said 1st position side by being pressed by the said tray. Image recording device. The flap member has a bearing portion supported by the shaft,
The regulation section
A locking piece protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion;
A first contact surface formed on the support member,
4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the locking piece comes into contact with the first contact surface when the flap member is in the third position. 5. The flap member has a bearing portion supported by the shaft,
The regulation section
A locking piece protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion;
A first contact surface and a second contact surface formed on the support member;
The locking piece contacts the first contact surface when the flap member is in the third position, and the second contact surface when the flap member is in the fourth position. The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image recording apparatus is in contact with the head. The locking piece is
A first locking surface;
Intersecting the first locking surface at an acute angle and having a second locking surface formed along a direction protruding from the peripheral surface,
The first contact surface and the second contact surface are each directed toward the flap member and intersect each other,
The first locking surface contacts the first contact surface when the flap member is in the third position,
The image recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second locking surface is in contact with the second contact surface when the flap member is in the fourth position.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is elastically deformable in a direction in which the flap member is separated from the support member. A conveyance path for guiding the sheet;
A conveying unit that is provided in the conveying path and conveys the sheet by a pair of rollers arranged opposite to each other in the vertical direction;
A tray on which a sheet can be placed and which can be attached to and removed from the apparatus;
Among the rollers constituting the roller pair, a support member that supports the upper upper roller;
Of the rollers constituting the roller pair, one end side is pivotally supported by the lower lower roller shaft, and the first position that forms a part of the lower surface that defines the conveyance path with the shaft as a center. A flap member that opens the first conveyance path and is rotatable in a range up to a second position where the other end opposite to the one end is located above the tray. And a flap support part that supports the flap member from below and maintains the flap member in the first position in a state of being mounted on the apparatus,
The flap member has a bearing portion supported by the shaft,
The bearing portion protrudes from a first outer peripheral portion whose distance from the center of the shaft to the outer periphery thereof is a first distance and a peripheral surface of the first outer peripheral portion, and a distance from the center of the shaft to the tip end Has a second outer peripheral portion that is a second distance longer than the first distance,
The center of the shaft and the support member are separated by a third distance that is longer than the first distance and shorter than the second distance,
At least one of the support member and the flap member can be elastically separated by a distance equal to or greater than a fourth distance that is a difference between the second distance and the third distance with respect to the other,
In a state where the support member and the flap member are not separated from each other, the second outer peripheral portion is configured such that the support member is located when the flap member is at a third position between the first position and the second position. And stop turning to the second position side due to the weight of the flap member,
When the flap member is in the third position, the flap member is in contact with the tray mounted on the apparatus and is rotated toward the first position when pressed by the tray.

Images