JP2017218246A - Image formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image formation device which enables improvement of user's convenience.SOLUTION: An image formation device 1 includes a paper cassette 6 and a cassette storage part 5. The paper cassette 6 stores sheets T. The cassette storage part 5 houses the paper cassette 6. The cassette storage part 5 has a one side opening 5a and the other side opening 5b. The one side opening 5a opens to one side of the cassette storage part 5. The other side opening 5b opens to the other side opposite to the one side. The paper cassette 6 has a cassette body part 61 and a sheet placement part 63. The sheet placement part 63 is detachably attached to the cassette body part 61. The sheet placement part 63 is detachably attached to the cassette storage part 5 through the one side opening 5a integrally with the cassette body part 61. The sheet placement part 63 is detachably attached to the cassette body part 61 attached to the cassette storage part 5 through the other side opening 5b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes an apparatus main body, a mounting hole, and a paper feed cassette. The mounting hole opens on one side surface of the apparatus main body. The paper feed cassette is detachable from the inside of the apparatus main body through the mounting hole.

JP 2003-321133 A

  However, in the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the paper feed cassette is attached and detached only from one side of the apparatus main body. Therefore, the user needs to move to one side of the apparatus main body when replenishing paper in the paper feed cassette. As a result, the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 may impair user convenience.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of improving user convenience.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image forming unit, a paper feed cassette, and a cassette housing unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a sheet. The paper feed cassette stores the paper. The cassette accommodating portion accommodates the sheet feeding cassette. The cassette housing part has one side opening and the other side opening. The one side opening opens to one side of the cassette housing portion. The other side opening opens on the other side opposite to the one side. The paper feed cassette has a cassette body and a paper placement unit. The sheet placing portion can be attached to and detached from the cassette body portion. The paper is placed on the paper placement unit. The sheet placing portion can be attached to and detached from the cassette housing portion integrally with the cassette body portion through the one side opening. The sheet placing portion can be attached to and detached from the cassette body portion mounted on the cassette housing portion through the other side opening.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, user convenience can be improved.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an image forming apparatus. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an image forming apparatus. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows a paper feed cassette. FIG. 6 is a rear view showing a paper placement unit. It is a perspective view which shows an raising / lowering part.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will not be repeated.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is a multifunction machine that forms an image on a paper T. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a housing 2, an image forming unit 3, a fixing unit 4, a paper feeding unit 6, a discharge unit 7, and an operation panel 8.

  The paper T is, for example, plain paper, copy paper, recycled paper, thin paper, thick paper, glossy paper, or OHP (Overhead Projector) paper. The paper T is transported from the paper feed unit 6 to the discharge unit 7 along a predetermined paper transport path.

  The housing | casing 2 is formed in the substantially rectangular parallelepiped box shape. The housing 2 has a front surface 2a, a back surface 2b, a bottom surface 2c, and an upper surface 2d. The housing 2 accommodates the image forming unit 3, the fixing unit 4, and the paper feeding unit 6.

  In FIG. 1, the direction in which the front surface 2a of the housing 2 is disposed is defined as the front, and the front-rear direction is defined. Further, the direction in which the upper surface 2d of the housing 2 is disposed is defined as the upper direction, and the vertical direction is defined. In addition, the front-back direction and the direction orthogonal to the up-down direction are defined as the left-right direction.

  The operation panel 8 is disposed at the upper end portion of the housing 2. The operation panel 8 includes a display unit 81 and an operation unit 82. The display unit 81 is, for example, a liquid crystal display with a touch panel function. The liquid crystal display displays the status of the image forming apparatus 1 and various messages. The liquid crystal display also displays soft keys for selecting and setting functions, inputting characters, and the like.

  The operation unit 82 is a hard key such as a start key and a numeric keypad. For example, the user instructs the image forming apparatus 1 to start executing various functions via a start key. Further, the user inputs the number of copies to be printed on the image forming apparatus 1 via a numeric keypad, for example.

  The image forming unit 3 forms a toner image on the paper T. The image forming unit 3 is disposed on the downstream side of the paper feeding unit 6 in the paper transport path. The image forming unit 3 includes a photosensitive drum 31, a charging unit 32, an exposure unit 33, a developing unit 34, a transfer unit 35, and a cleaning unit 36.

  The photosensitive drum 31 is rotatably arranged. The photosensitive drum 31 includes, for example, a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer. The conductive substrate has conductivity and is formed in a cylindrical shape. The photosensitive layer is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the conductive substrate.

  The charging unit 32 charges the photosensitive drum 31 to a predetermined potential. The exposure unit 33 irradiates a laser on the outer peripheral surface of the charged photosensitive drum 31 to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing unit 34 develops the electrostatic latent image as a toner image. As a result, a toner image is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 31.

  The transfer unit 35 transfers the toner image formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 31 onto the paper T. The cleaning unit 36 removes residual toner adhering to the photosensitive drum 31 after the toner image is transferred.

  The fixing unit 4 is disposed on the downstream side of the image forming unit 3 in the paper conveyance path. The fixing unit 4 heats and presses the paper T on which the toner image is transferred, and fixes the toner image on the paper T. The paper T on which the toner image is fixed is discharged to the discharge unit 7.

  The paper feeding unit 6 is disposed at the lower part of the housing 2. The paper feed unit 6 includes a paper feed cassette 60, a cassette housing unit 5, and a paper feed roller 64. The paper feed roller 64 is provided inside the housing 2. The paper feed roller 64 is supported by the housing 2.

  The cassette housing unit 5 houses the paper feed cassette 60. The cassette housing portion 5 has one side opening 5a and the other side opening 5b. In the present embodiment, the one side opening 5a opens to the front side as one side. In the present embodiment, the other side opening 5b opens to the rear side as the other side opposite to the one side. The one side opening 5 a and the other side opening 5 b communicate with each other via the cassette housing portion 5.

  The paper feed roller 64 has a pickup roller 64a and a feed roller 64b. The pickup roller 64 a takes out the paper T from the paper feed cassette 60 by rotating in contact with the upper surface of the paper T. The pickup roller 64a sends the taken paper T to the feed roller 64b.

  The feed roller 64b is disposed on the downstream side of the pickup roller 64a in the paper transport path. The feed roller 64b rotates in contact with the upper surface of the paper T taken out by the pickup roller 64a, thereby sending the paper T to the downstream side of the paper transport path. Specifically, the feed roller 64b forms a nip portion with the opposing retard roller, and the paper T is sent downstream by the nip portion. The feed roller 64b is connected to a drive source provided in the image forming apparatus 1 via a rotation shaft or the like. The rotation shaft of the pickup roller 64a is connected to the rotation shaft of the feed roller 64b through a transmission path such as a gear. The drive source is, for example, a motor.

  FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the image forming apparatus 1. Specifically, in the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2, the paper feed cassette 60 is removed from the cassette housing portion 5. FIG. 2 is a perspective view from above the front side of the image forming apparatus 1. The paper feed cassette 60 can be attached to and detached from the cassette housing portion 5 through the one side opening 5a.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the paper feed cassette 60 includes a cassette body 61 and a paper placement unit 63. The cassette body 61 is detachable from the cassette housing 5 via the one side opening 5a. The cassette body 61 is formed in a box shape. The cassette body 61 has a front surface 61a, a left side 61b, a right side 61c, and a bottom 61d. The cassette body 61 has an upper surface and a back surface that are open. The cassette body 61 accommodates the paper placement unit 63.

  The cassette body 61 has a pair of flange portions 62 and 62. The pair of flange portions 62 extend outward from the front surface portion 61a of the cassette body portion 61 in the left-right direction. The pair of flange portions 62 come into contact with the front end edge portion of the cassette housing portion 5 when the cassette body 61 is mounted on the cassette housing portion 5. As a result, the pair of flange portions 62 position the cassette body portion 61 mounted in the cassette housing portion 5 in the front-rear direction. Further, the pair of flange portions 62 prevents the cassette body portion 61 from dropping from the rear side of the cassette housing portion 5 when the cassette body portion 61 is attached to the cassette housing portion 5.

  The paper feed unit 6 further includes a main body guide unit 65. The main body guide portion 65 includes a rail portion 65a and an engaging portion 65b. The rail portions 65a are formed inside the left and right side plates of the housing 2, respectively. The rail part 65a extends along the front-rear direction from the edge part forming the cassette housing part 5.

  The engaging portions 65b are formed on the left and right side portions 61b and 61c of the cassette body 61, respectively. Each engaging part 65b can contact the upper surface of each rail part 65a. As a result, when the cassette body 61 is mounted on the cassette housing 5, the main body guide portion 65 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the rail portion 65a so that the cassette body 61 extends along the front-rear direction. Guided.

  The paper placing unit 63 can be attached to and detached from the cassette body 61. The paper T is placed on the paper placement unit 63. The sheet placing portion 63 can be attached to and detached from the cassette housing portion 5 integrally with the cassette body portion 61 through the one side opening 5a.

  FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the image forming apparatus 1. Specifically, in the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 3, the paper placement unit 63 is detached from the cassette housing unit 5 through the other side opening 5b. FIG. 3 is a perspective view from above the rear side of the image forming apparatus 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the upper surface of the sheet placement unit 63 is open. The paper placement unit 63 is formed in a box shape. The sheet placing portion 63 includes a front surface portion 63a, a back surface portion 63b, a left side surface portion 63c, a right side surface portion 63d, and a bottom portion 63e. The paper T is placed on the paper placement unit 63.

  The sheet placing portion 63 is detachable from the cassette main body portion 61 accommodated in the cassette accommodating portion 5 through the other side opening 5b. Accordingly, the sheet placing unit 63 can be attached and detached not only from the front side of the image forming apparatus 1 but also from the rear side of the image forming apparatus 1. As a result, in the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the user can replenish the paper T from the front side and the rear side of the image forming apparatus 1 to the paper placement unit 63, and the convenience for the user can be improved.

  FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the paper feed cassette 60. Specifically, in the paper feed cassette 60 shown in FIG. 4, the paper placement unit 63 is removed from the rear side of the cassette body 61. FIG. 4 is a perspective view from above the front side of the paper feed cassette 60.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the paper feed unit 6 further includes an elevating unit 68. The elevating part 68 has an elevating plate 68a and a passage hole 68b. The elevating plate 68 a is provided on the bottom 63 e of the paper placement unit 63. The lifting plate 68 a is pivotally supported at the upstream end in the paper feeding direction of the paper T by the side surfaces 63 c and 63 d of the paper stacking unit 63. Therefore, the elevating plate 68a can be rotated with the upstream end as a fulcrum. The passage hole 68 b is formed in the bottom 63 e of the paper placement unit 63. The passage hole 68b is formed at the front end of the bottom 63e. The passage hole 68b is formed below the elevating plate 68a.

  The sheet placing unit 63 further includes a positioning projection 63f and a regulating unit 63g. The positioning protrusion 63 f is formed on the front surface of the front surface portion 63 a of the paper placement portion 63. The positioning protrusion 63 f comes into contact with the front surface portion 61 a of the cassette main body portion 61 when the paper placement portion 63 is mounted on the cassette main body portion 61. Specifically, the positioning protrusion 63f is formed, for example, in a tapered shape with a small tip, and is fitted into a recess formed on the inner surface of the front surface portion 61a. As a result, the positioning protrusions 63f position the sheet placement unit 63 mounted on the cassette body 61 in the left-right direction and the up-down direction. For example, when the front surface portion 63 a comes into contact with the front surface portion 61 a of the cassette body portion 61, the position of the sheet placement portion 63 with respect to the cassette body portion 61 is determined.

  The restricting portion 63g positions the paper T placed on the paper placing portion 63 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, and restricts the movement of the paper T. The restricting portion 63g has a side cursor 63h and a rear end cursor 63i. The rear end cursor 63i can be fixed at an arbitrary position in the front-rear direction on the bottom 63e of the paper placement unit 63. The rear end cursor 63i abuts on the rear edge of the paper T and restricts the movement of the paper T with the front surface portion 63a of the paper placement unit 63.

  The side cursor 63h can be fixed at an arbitrary position in the left-right direction on the bottom 63e of the paper placement unit 63. The side cursor 63h abuts on the left edge of the paper T and restricts the movement of the paper T between the right side portion 63d of the paper stacking portion 63. Note that the side cursors 63h may be provided in a pair of left and right. The pair of side cursors 63h are interlocked and connected via an interlocking member such as a rack and a pinion, for example. The pair of side cursors 63h are in contact with the left and right edges of the paper T and restrict the movement of the paper T.

  The cassette body 61 further includes a guide 66. The guide portions 66 are formed at the rear end portions of the left and right side surface portions 61b and 61c of the cassette body portion 61, respectively. The guide portion 66 can abut on the upper end portions of the left and right side surface portions 63 c and 63 d of the paper placement portion 63. The guide unit 66 contacts the left and right side surfaces 63c and 63d of the sheet placing unit 63 when the sheet placing unit 63 is mounted on the cassette body 61, and moves the sheet placing unit 63 along the front-rear direction. I will guide you.

  The paper feed cassette 60 further includes a fixing portion 67. The fixing portion 67 has a rod-shaped portion 67a and an engagement hole portion 67b. The engagement hole portion 67b is formed in the rear end portion of the left and right side surface portions 61b and 61c of the cassette body portion 61, respectively. The rod-shaped part 67a is disposed so as to be able to move in and out in the left-right direction from the back surface part 63b of the sheet placing part 63. The fixing portion 67 fixes the sheet placing portion 63 to the cassette body portion 61 by engaging the rod-like portion 67a with the engaging hole portion 67b.

  FIG. 5 is a rear view showing the sheet placing unit 63. Specifically, a part of the back surface portion 63b of the paper placement portion 63 in FIG. 5 is shown by a cross section cut by a cutting line along the left-right direction.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the fixing unit 67 further includes an operation unit 67 c. The rod-shaped part 67a has a hypotenuse at the inner end. The operation unit 67 c has an oblique side in which the oblique side of the rod-shaped part 67 a is slidable in the back surface part 63 b of the sheet placing unit 63. In the present embodiment, each rod-shaped portion 67a protrudes outward in the left-right direction by operating the operation portion 67c upward. The fixing portion 67 further includes a first urging portion. The first urging portion urges the rod-shaped portion 67a toward the inner side of the back surface portion 63b. In the present embodiment, each bar-shaped portion 67a is retracted into the back surface portion 63b of the sheet placing portion 63 by operating the operation portion 67c downward. Note that the fixing portion 67 may further include a second urging portion. The second urging unit urges the operation unit 67c upward.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the elevating part 68. As shown in FIG. 6, the elevating part 68 further includes a swing plate 68c. The swing plate 68c is provided integrally with the bottom 61d of the cassette body 61 described with reference to FIG. The swing plate 68c is pivotally supported within the bottom 61d at the downstream end in the paper T feeding direction. Therefore, the swinging plate 68c can be rotated with the downstream end as a fulcrum. The swing plate 68c can come into contact with the elevating plate 68a through the passage hole 68b when the paper placement unit 63 is mounted on the cassette body 61.

  The swing plate 68c of the present embodiment is connected to a drive source via a transmission path 68d having a gear, for example, when the cassette body 61 is mounted on the cassette housing 5. A part of the transmission path 68d is provided in the cassette body 61. In the present embodiment, the swinging plate 68c is rotated when the paper feed cassette 60 is mounted in the cassette housing portion 5. As a result, the swinging plate 68 c comes into contact with the lifting plate 68 a through the passage hole 68 b, and the lifting plate 68 a raises the downstream side of the paper T placed on the paper placement unit 63.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various modes without departing from the gist thereof.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 has been described using a multifunction peripheral as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. The image forming apparatus 1 may be a copy, a printer, or a facsimile. The multifunction machine has at least two functions of a copy function, a printer function, and a facsimile function.

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and has industrial applicability.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Housing | casing 3 Image forming part 5 Cassette accommodating part 5a One side opening 5b The other side opening 6 Paper feed part 60 Paper feed cassette 61 Cassette main-body part 63 Paper mounting part T Paper

Claims (4)

An image forming unit for forming an image on paper;
A paper feed cassette for containing the paper;
A cassette housing portion for housing the paper feed cassette,
The cassette housing portion is
One side opening that opens to one side of the cassette housing portion;
The other side opening that opens on the other side opposite to the one side, and
The paper cassette is
The cassette body,
A cassette that is detachable from the cassette body and on which the paper is placed;
The sheet placing portion is detachably attached to the cassette housing portion through the one side opening integrally with the cassette body portion, and is attached to the cassette housing portion through the other side opening. An image forming apparatus that is detachable from a cassette body. The cassette body has a guide portion for guiding the paper placement portion between the one side and the other side,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet placing portion is detachably attached to the cassette body portion from the other side via the guide portion.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding cassette further includes a fixing unit capable of fixing the sheet placing unit mounted on the cassette main body unit. An elevating part for elevating the paper placed on the paper placing part;
The elevating part is
An elevating plate provided integrally with the bottom of the paper placing portion;
An elevating mechanism provided in the cassette body,
The elevating plate is supported so as to be rotatable about an upstream end in the paper feeding direction of the paper,
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elevating mechanism abuts the lower surface of the elevating plate on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction to elevate the elevating plate. 5.

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