JP2015013718A - Recording medium storage cassette and image formation device equipped with same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording medium storage cassette which can reduce an installation area for an image formation device.SOLUTION: A paper cassette (recording medium storage cassette) 10 comprises a storage part 11 in which papers are stored, a cassette cover 12 which is fixed to the storage part 11 and constitutes a part of an external package surface of an image formation device 100, and a handle part 13 which is provided on the cassette cover 12. The handle part 13 is so formed as to be able to oscillate with respect to the cassette cover 12, and is selectively disposed at a first position where an oscillation end thereof is stored so as to be flushed with the external package surface or inside said surface and a second position where the oscillation end projects to the outside from the external package surface.

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording medium storage cassette for storing a sheet-like recording medium used in an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine and a laser printer, and an image forming apparatus including the same.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a wide variety of sheet feeding cassettes (recording medium storage cassettes) are provided that store and stack a plurality of sheet-like sheets (recording media) and supply sheets to an image forming unit of an image forming apparatus body according to an image forming operation It is used.

  A configuration of a conventional paper feed cassette will be described. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional paper feed cassette. As shown in FIG. 7, the conventional paper feed cassette 510 includes a storage unit 511 that stores paper, a cassette cover 512 that is fixed to the storage unit 511 and forms a part of the exterior surface of the image forming apparatus, and a cassette cover 512. And a handle portion 513 provided on the head.

  The cassette cover 512 has a recess 512a extending in the vertical direction. The handle portion 513 is provided so as to straddle the recess 512a and is formed so as to protrude outward from the exterior surface. Thereby, a space where a user's finger can be sufficiently inserted is formed in the recess 512a (between the handle portion 513 and the cassette cover 512). In the paper feed cassette 510, a user's finger is inserted into the recess 512a (between the handle portion 513 and the cassette cover 512), and the handle portion 513 is pulled out to the front, whereby the paper feed cassette 510 is pulled out from the image forming apparatus. It is.

  However, the conventional paper feed cassette 510 has a disadvantage that the installation area of the image forming apparatus is increased because the handle portion 513 is formed so as to protrude outward from the exterior surface.

  Thus, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a paper feed cassette that is formed so that a handle (handle portion) does not protrude outward from the exterior surface. In this paper feed cassette, a space where a user's finger can be sufficiently inserted is secured by forming the concave portion deeply.

JP 2008-239328 A

  However, in the paper feed cassette disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to form a recess in the cassette cover deeply in order to secure a space where a user's finger can be sufficiently inserted. For this reason, since it is necessary to increase the thickness of the cassette cover, there is a problem that the size of the image forming apparatus increases and the installation area increases.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium storage cassette capable of reducing the installation area of the image forming apparatus and image formation including the same. Is to provide a device.

  In order to achieve the above object, a recording medium storage cassette of the present invention is a recording medium storage cassette that can be inserted into and removed from a main body of an image forming apparatus, and includes a storage unit that stores a recording medium and a storage unit that is fixed to the storage unit. A cassette cover that forms a part of the exterior surface of the image forming apparatus and that has a recess, and a handle portion that is provided on the cassette cover and that is disposed with a gap with respect to the recess. Includes a swing end that can swing around the swing center with respect to the cassette cover, the swing end being accommodated on the inside or flush with the exterior surface, and the swing end from the exterior surface. It is selectively arranged at the second position protruding outward.

  According to the present invention, the handle portion is selectively arranged at a first position where the swing end is stored flush with or inside the exterior surface and a second position where the swing end protrudes outward from the exterior surface. Is done. Accordingly, by swinging the user's finger on the swing end of the handle portion, the handle portion protrudes outward from the exterior surface, and the user's finger can be sufficiently inserted between the handle portion and the cassette cover. A space is formed. For this reason, it is possible to easily pull out the recording medium storage cassette. As described above, in order to secure a space where a user's finger can be sufficiently inserted between the handle portion and the cassette cover, it is necessary to project the handle portion outward from the exterior surface or increase the thickness of the cassette cover. Therefore, the size of the image forming apparatus can be reduced and the installation area can be reduced.

  The handle portion is formed so as to be swingable with respect to the cassette cover. Thereby, since a handle part can be arrange | positioned along an exterior surface, it is not necessary to enlarge the thickness of a cassette cover. For this reason, it is possible to suppress an increase in the installation area due to an increase in the size of the image forming apparatus. If the handle is provided to slide in the horizontal direction (perpendicular to the cassette cover), it is necessary to increase the thickness of the cassette cover by the horizontal movement distance of the handle. The size of the image forming apparatus increases and the installation area increases.

1 is a perspective view illustrating a structure of an image forming apparatus including a paper feed cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the perspective view which showed the structure of the paper feed cassette of one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which showed the structure of the handle part periphery of the paper feed cassette of one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which showed the structure of the handle part periphery of the paper feed cassette of one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which showed the structure around the handle part of the paper feed cassette of the modification of this invention. It is sectional drawing which showed the structure around the handle part of the paper feed cassette of the modification of this invention. It is the perspective view which showed an example of the conventional paper feed cassette.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  An image forming apparatus 100 including a paper feed cassette (recording medium storage cassette) 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 100 includes an apparatus main body (image forming apparatus main body) 1 and an image reading device 2 disposed on the upper portion thereof.

  In the image reading device 2, an image reading unit for reading image information of a document on the contact glass 2a is provided. The image reading unit includes a scanner lamp that illuminates the document during copying, a scanning optical system equipped with a mirror that changes the optical path of reflected light from the document, a condensing lens that focuses the reflected light from the document, And a CCD sensor or the like (not shown) that converts the imaged image light into an electrical signal, and reads a document image and converts it into image data.

  An operation panel 3 having operation buttons and a display unit is provided on the front portion of the image reading apparatus 2. A platen (not shown) that presses the document placed on the contact glass 2a is provided on the upper part of the image reading device 2 so as to be opened and closed. On the platen, an automatic document feeder (not shown) may be provided that automatically and sequentially feeds one document at a time from the document bundle onto the contact glass 2a.

  Between the image reading apparatus 2 and the apparatus main body 1, an in-body discharge space 4 is provided that is largely open toward the left side and the front.

  A plurality (two in this case) of paper feed cassettes 10 that store paper (recording media) are detachably attached to the apparatus main body 1 at the front portion of the apparatus main body 1.

  Inside the apparatus main body 1, there are provided an image forming unit, a fixing unit, a paper transport unit, and the like (not shown). The image forming unit forms an image by transferring a toner image onto a supplied sheet based on image data read by the image reading device 2. The image forming unit includes a photosensitive drum that carries an electrostatic latent image, a charging unit that charges the surface of the photosensitive drum, and an exposure that forms an electrostatic latent image corresponding to a document image on the surface of the photosensitive drum with a laser beam or the like. Unit, a developing unit for forming a toner image by attaching a developer to the formed electrostatic latent image, a transfer roller for transferring the toner image to a sheet, a cleaning blade for removing residual toner on the surface of the photosensitive drum, and the like. Yes. The fixing unit fixes the toner image on the paper by heating and pressurizing the paper on which the toner image is transferred. The sheet conveying unit extends upward along the right side surface of the apparatus main body 1 and conveys the sheet from the sheet feeding cassette 10 to the image forming unit.

  Next, the configuration of the paper feed cassette 10 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the paper feed cassette 10 includes a storage unit 11 that stores paper, a cassette cover 12 that is fixed to the storage unit 11, and a handle unit 13 that is provided on the cassette cover 12. Wall portions 11 a are erected on the four peripheral edges of the storage portion 11. The storage unit 11 constitutes a housing (casing) of the paper feed cassette 10. In addition, the storage portion 11 is provided with a pair of guide rail portions 11 b that slide relative to a sliding portion (not shown) provided in the apparatus main body 1.

  The cassette cover 12 is fixed to the wall 11a on the upstream side (left side in FIG. 2) with respect to the insertion direction of the paper feed cassette 10. The cassette cover 12 is exposed to the outside and constitutes a part of the exterior surface of the image forming apparatus 100. Further, a concave portion 12a extending in the vertical direction is formed in the center portion of the cassette cover 12 in the width direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the handle portion 13 is disposed in the concave portion 12 a of the cassette cover 12 so as not to protrude outward from the exterior surface (on the same plane or inside the exterior surface).

  The handle portion 13 is provided to hang a user's finger when pulling out the paper feed cassette 10 from the apparatus main body 1. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the handle portion 13 is formed so as to be swingable with respect to the cassette cover 12, and has a swing shaft (in a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4). Swing around 14). The swing shaft 14 is disposed in the vicinity of the lower end portion of the handle portion 13. The handle portion 13 swings when a user's finger is hung on the upper portion, and the upper portion projects outward from the exterior surface. Further, the handle portion 13 is moved, for example, by a torsion spring (biasing member) 15 from the closing direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 4, from the position shown in FIG. 4 (second position) to the position shown in FIG. Is biased in the direction). Therefore, when the finger is released from the handle portion 13 in the state of FIG. 4, the handle portion 13 swings in the clockwise direction and returns to the state of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the length of the handle portion 13 in the vertical direction is larger than half of the length of the cassette cover 12 in the vertical direction. Further, the distance from the upper end (swinging end) of the handle portion 13 to the swinging shaft 14 is larger than half the vertical length of the cassette cover 12.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the paper feeding cassette 10, the handle portion 13 is not swung between the upper end (swing end) of the handle portion 13 and the front side surface 12 b of the recess 12 a of the cassette cover 12. A small space (gap) is formed. Using this small space, the user can hang the fingertip on the upper end of the handle portion 13.

  Then, the user's finger is hooked on the upper end of the handle portion 13 to swing the handle portion 13 by a predetermined swing angle (45 degrees or less), so that the upper portion of the handle portion 13 is outside the exterior surface as shown in FIG. A space that allows a user's finger to be sufficiently inserted is formed between the handle portion 13 and the front side surface 12b of the concave portion 12a of the cassette cover 12. By further pulling out the handle portion 13 from this state, the paper feed cassette 10 is pulled out from the apparatus main body 1.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the handle portion 13 has the first position (the position shown in FIG. 3) in which the upper end (swinging end) is stored flush with or inside the exterior surface, and the upper end is the exterior. It is selectively arranged at a second position (the position shown in FIG. 4) that protrudes outward from the surface. As a result, the user's finger is hooked on the upper end of the handle portion 13 and swung so that the handle portion 13 protrudes outward from the exterior surface, and the user's finger is sufficiently placed between the handle portion 13 and the cassette cover 12. A space that can be inserted is formed. For this reason, the paper feed cassette 10 can be easily pulled out by holding the handle portion 13. Thus, in order to secure a space where a user's finger can be sufficiently inserted between the handle portion 13 and the cassette cover 12, the handle portion 13 protrudes outward from the exterior surface, or the thickness of the cassette cover 12 is increased. Therefore, the installation area can be reduced by reducing the size of the image forming apparatus 100.

  The handle portion 13 is formed so as to be swingable with respect to the cassette cover 12. Thereby, since the handle part 13 can be arrange | positioned along an exterior surface, it is not necessary to enlarge the thickness of the cassette cover 12. FIG. For this reason, it is possible to suppress an increase in the installation area due to an increase in the size of the image forming apparatus 100. When the handle 13 is provided so as to slide in the horizontal direction (perpendicular to the cassette cover 12), it is necessary to increase the thickness of the cassette cover 12 by the moving distance of the handle 13 in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the size of the image forming apparatus 100 is increased and the installation area is increased.

  Further, as described above, the handle portion 13 swings around the swing shaft 14 extending in the horizontal direction, and the upper portion of the handle portion 13 protrudes outward from the exterior surface. Thereby, it can suppress that the distance from the upper end (part where a user's finger | hook is hung) of the handle part 13 to the rocking | fluctuation shaft 14 becomes short. For this reason, the space between the handle portion 13 and the cassette cover 12 can be easily increased while suppressing the swing angle of the handle portion 13.

  Further, as described above, by providing the torsion spring 15 that urges the handle portion 13 from the second position (position shown in FIG. 4) to the first position (position shown in FIG. 3), the user can By removing the finger from the handle portion 13, the handle portion 13 can be easily prevented from protruding from the exterior surface.

  Further, as described above, the handle portion 13 swings around the swing shaft 14 extending in the horizontal direction, and the length of the handle portion 13 in the vertical direction is more than half the length of the cassette cover 12 in the vertical direction. large. Further, the distance from the upper end of the handle portion 13 (the portion where the user's finger is hung) to the swing shaft 14 is greater than half the vertical length of the cassette cover 12. Thereby, the distance from the upper end of the handle part 13 to the rocking | fluctuation shaft 14 can be lengthened easily. For this reason, the space between the handle portion 13 and the cassette cover 12 can be easily increased while further suppressing the swing angle of the handle portion 13.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description of the embodiments but by the scope of claims for patent, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims for patent.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the handle portion swings around the swing center extending in the horizontal direction has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the handle portion swings around the swing center extending in the vertical direction. May be.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the upper part of the handle part showed about the example which protrudes outside from an exterior surface, this invention is not limited to this. The structure of the handle part may be turned upside down so that the lower part of the handle part protrudes outward from the exterior surface. Moreover, you may comprise so that the arbitrary sides of the upper part and lower part of a handle part may protrude outside from an exterior surface. For example, in the paper feed cassette 110 according to the modification of the present invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a positioning projection 113 a is provided at the center in the vertical direction of the handle portion 113, and the positioning hole 112 a into which the positioning projection 113 a is fitted into the cassette cover 112. By providing a tension coil spring (biasing member) 114 above and below the positioning protrusion 113a, the handle portion 113 can be swung in any direction around the swing center. When the user's finger is put on the upper end of the handle portion 113 and the handle portion 113 is pulled out, the handle portion 113 swings about the contact O100 between the positioning projection 113a and the positioning hole 112a as shown in FIG. At this time, the lower end (the end opposite to the swinging end) of the handle part 113 is a restricting part that restricts the swinging angle of the handle part 113. In the paper feed cassette 110, the paper feed cassette 110 can be pulled out by placing a finger on any side of the upper end and the lower end of the handle portion 113, so that the drawing workability can be improved.

1 Device body (image forming device body)
10, 110 Paper feed cassette (recording medium storage cassette)
11 Storage part 12, 112 Cassette cover 13, 113 Handle part 14 Oscillation shaft (Oscillation center)
15 Torsion spring (biasing member)
100 Image forming apparatus 114 Tension coil spring (biasing member)
O100 contact (swing center)

Claims (9)

A recording medium storage cassette that can be taken in and out of the main body of the image forming apparatus,
A storage section for storing the recording medium;
A cassette cover that is fixed to the storage unit and constitutes a part of the exterior surface of the image forming apparatus, and has a recess;
A handle portion provided on the cassette cover and disposed with a gap with respect to the recess,
With
The handle includes a swing end swingable about a swing center with respect to the cassette cover, and the swing end is accommodated on the inside or flush with the exterior surface; A recording medium storage cassette, wherein the swing end is selectively disposed at a second position protruding outward from the exterior surface.   The handle portion swings around the swing center extending in the horizontal direction with one side of the upper and lower portions as the swing end and the other side as the swing center, and is directed outward from the exterior surface. The recording medium storage cassette according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium storage cassette is rotated by a predetermined angle.   The handle portion swings around the swing center extending in a horizontal direction with the upper end and the lower portion as the swing end and the upper and lower portions as the swing center, and the exterior surface The recording medium storage cassette according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium storage cassette is rotated by a predetermined angle from the outside toward the outside.   The recording medium storage cassette according to claim 1, further comprising an urging member that urges the handle portion from the second position to the first position.   5. The recording according to claim 1, wherein an end portion of the handle portion opposite to the swing end serves as a restricting portion that restricts a swing angle of the handle portion. Medium storage cassette. The handle portion swings around the swing center extending in the horizontal direction,
The recording medium storage cassette according to claim 1, wherein a length of the handle portion in a vertical direction is larger than half of a length of the cassette cover in a vertical direction.   The recording medium storage cassette according to claim 6, wherein a distance from the swing end to the swing center is greater than half of a length of the cassette cover in the vertical direction.   The recording medium storage cassette according to claim 1, wherein a swing angle of the handle portion is less than 90 degrees.   An image forming apparatus comprising the recording medium storage cassette according to claim 1.