JP2018002413A - Feeding tray, feeding device, image formation apparatus and image reading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the convenience in size changing of a sheet feeding tray.SOLUTION: A feeding tray includes: a tray body part which has a storage space storing a sheet-like member; a tray expansion part which expands the storage space; a rear end regulation part which regulates the position of the rear end of the sheet-like member in the storage space; and a holding part which is arranged between the tray body part and the tray expansion part and connects the tray body part to the tray expansion part. The first connection mode of the tray body part and the tray expansion part connected by the holding part is the mode in which the holding part is arranged along the bottom surface of the tray body part. The second connection mode of the tray body part and the tray expansion part connected by the holding part is the mode in which the holding part is arranged along the rear wall surface of the tray expansion part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a feeding tray, a feeding device, an image forming apparatus, and an image reading apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a feeding tray that stores and supplies a large number of sheet-like members (for example, paper) used to output a formed image is used. One sheet of paper of one size is stored in one feeding tray. 2. Description of the Related Art A feeding tray is known that can switch the setting of a storage space according to a paper size so that a plurality of sizes of paper can be stored. A feeding device including a plurality of feeding trays is also known.

  As a feeding tray capable of switching a paper size that can be stored, a feeding tray including a tray main body portion and a tray expansion / contraction portion is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). The feeding tray disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a structure that allows the tray extendable portion to slide relative to the tray body. With this structure, the feeding tray can be set by switching between a state in which small size paper is stored and a state in which large size paper is stored. The feeding tray disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a state in which large-size paper can be stored (hereinafter referred to as “large tray configuration”) and a state in which small-size paper is stored (hereinafter referred to as “small tray configuration”). In the setting of “.”, A rear end regulating member for positioning and holding the paper to be stored is provided. The rear end regulating member is disposed behind the paper feeding direction and is held by a rail member so as to be able to slide and move to a position according to the size of the paper.

  In order to make a feeding tray so that larger sheets can be accommodated, it is more convenient to arrange the rear end regulating member in the tray extendable part. However, if the rear end regulating member is disposed in the tray extendable portion, the rear end regulating member moves backward when the feeding tray is switched from the small tray configuration to the large tray configuration. If the paper size is changed without changing the paper size (with paper that can be accommodated even in the small tray configuration), the rear end regulating member is repositioned according to the size of the stored paper. Must be set. Further, when storing a small size paper with the large tray configuration, the rear end regulating member may not be set at an optimum position according to the paper size. As described above, it is difficult to easily change the size of the feeding tray, and the convenience for the user may be impaired.

  An object of this invention is to provide the feeding tray which improves a user's convenience.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an aspect of the present invention provides a tray main body portion including a storage space for storing a sheet-like member, a tray extension portion for expanding the storage space, and the sheet-like member in the storage space. A rear end restricting portion that restricts a position of the rear end; and a holding portion that is disposed between the tray main body portion and the tray extension portion and connects the tray main body portion and the tray extension portion. The first connection mode by the tray main body unit and the tray extension unit connected by a part is a mode in which the holding unit is arranged along the bottom surface of the tray main unit unit, and the tray connected by the holding unit The 2nd connection aspect by a main-body part and the said tray expansion part is an aspect by which the said holding | maintenance part is arrange | positioned along the rear part wall surface of the said tray expansion part, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the feeding tray which improves a user's convenience can be provided.

1 is a perspective view of a color laser printer that is an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. 2 is a schematic structural diagram showing an internal configuration of the color laser printer. FIG. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the internal structure of the tray which is one Embodiment of the feed tray which concerns on this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of the tray which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is an assembly perspective view which shows the structure of the tray which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the rear end control part and holding | maintenance part which are one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the holding | maintenance part which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the rear end control part and holding | maintenance part which are one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows one tray structure which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is (a) top view and (b) side view showing other tray composition which is one embodiment of the present invention.

<Summary of the present invention>
The present invention relates to a feeding tray for storing a sheet-like medium and feeding out the sheet-like medium. The gist of the feeding tray according to the present invention is that the storage state of the sheet-like medium can be easily changed.

  A feeding tray having a configuration that can be expanded and contracted includes a structure that holds a rear end regulating member in a tray extending portion that is arranged on the rear side in the feeding direction of the sheet-like medium. Thereby, the rail part which is a structure holding a rear-end control member can be integrated in a tray main-body part and a tray expansion part. On the other hand, the present invention solves the conventional problem that the size of the feeding tray is increased because the portion that holds the rear end regulating member in the tray extension portion protrudes greatly.

  In addition, the conventional feeding tray changes the state of the rear end regulating member each time the state is changed between a state in which a small size sheet-like medium is accommodated (small tray configuration) and a state in which a large size sheet-like medium is accommodated (large tray configuration). It was necessary to reset the position. Further, the conventional feeding tray includes a lock mechanism that makes it easy to fix the rear end regulating member at a position that matches the fixed size of the sheet-like medium. However, if the tray configuration is changed, the interval at which the lock mechanism can be arranged becomes narrow, and the lock mechanism is used in accordance with a position shifted from the normal position. That is, in the conventional feeding tray, there is a difference in usage of the rear end regulating member and handling of the locking mechanism in the small tray configuration and the large tray configuration, and the user is easily confused.

  The feeding tray according to the present invention has a configuration that can solve these problems. That is, the rail portion that holds the rear end regulating portion is formed in the tray main body portion, thereby preventing an increase in the size of the feeding tray. In addition, the feeding tray according to the present invention is devised so that even if the small tray configuration is changed to the large tray configuration, there is no difference in the operability and handling of the rear end regulating portion in the user, and the convenience is improved. Let Furthermore, the feeding tray according to the present invention can reduce the tray extension portion. Thereby, the cost of the whole part can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each figure, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part which is the same or it corresponds, The duplication description is simplified or abbreviate | omitted suitably.

  In the description of the embodiment according to the present invention, the “sheet-like member” that can be stored in the feeding tray according to the present invention will be described as “paper P”. Here, the “sheet-like member” is not limited to paper (paper) but also includes a medium to which a developer or ink can be attached, such as coated paper, label paper, an OHP sheet, a film, and a fabric. Further, the “sheet” is not limited to a flexible one, but includes a hard plate-like one and a relatively thick one.

  Further, dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like in the description of each component are examples, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these unless otherwise specified.

<Configuration of image forming apparatus>
The feeding tray according to the present invention can be applied to, for example, a feeding device provided in an image forming apparatus or an image reading apparatus. 1 and 2 schematically show the configuration of a color laser printer 200 as an embodiment of an image forming apparatus equipped with a feeding device according to the present invention. The color laser printer 200 includes four process units 1K, 1Y, 1M, and 1C. These process units form an image with developers of black (K), yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) corresponding to the color separation components of the color image.

  The process units 1K, 1Y, 1M, and 1C have the same configuration except that they have toner bottles 6K, 6Y, 6M, and 6C containing unused toners of different colors. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a description of the configuration of one process unit 1K will be given, and a description of the other process units 1Y, 1M, 1C will be omitted.

  The process unit 1K includes an image carrier 2K (for example, a photosensitive drum), a drum cleaning device 3K, a charge eliminating device, a charging device 4K, a developing device 5K, and the like. The process unit 1K is detachably attached to the main body of the color laser printer 200, so that consumable parts can be replaced at the same time.

  The exposure unit 7 is disposed above the process units 1K, 1Y, 1M, and 1C installed in the color laser printer 200. The exposure unit 7 is configured to emit laser light from the laser diode based on the image data.

  In this embodiment, the transfer device 15 is disposed below the process units 1K, 1Y, 1M, and 1C. The primary transfer rollers 19K, 19Y, 19M, and 19C are disposed in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 16 so as to face the image carriers 2K, 2Y, 2M, and 2C.

  The intermediate transfer belt 16 circulates while being stretched over the primary transfer rollers 19K, 19Y, 19M, and 19C, the driving roller 18, and the driven roller 17.

  The secondary transfer roller 20 is disposed so as to face the driving roller 18 and contact the intermediate transfer belt 16. If the image carriers 2K, 2Y, 2M, and 2C are the first image carriers of the respective colors, the intermediate transfer belt 16 is a second image carrier that combines these images.

  The belt cleaning device 21 is installed on the downstream side of the secondary transfer roller 20 in the traveling direction of the intermediate transfer belt 16. A cleaning backup roller is provided on the opposite side of the belt cleaning device 21 with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 16.

  A tray 100 that is a feeding tray is installed below the color laser printer 200 and can accommodate a large number of sheets P, which is an example of a sheet-like member. The tray 100 can be attached to and detached from the main body of the color laser printer 200 for replenishment of paper P and the like. The feeding roller 47 is disposed above the tray 100 in a state where it is installed in the color laser printer 200, and feeds the paper P from the tray 100 toward the feeding path 31.

  The timing roller pair 14 is disposed immediately upstream of the secondary transfer roller 20 and can temporarily stop the paper P fed from the tray 100. By this temporary stop, slack is formed on the leading end side of the paper P.

  The sheet P on which the slack is formed is sent to the secondary transfer separation nip between the secondary transfer roller 20 and the driving roller 18 in accordance with the timing at which the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 is suitably transferred. Then, the fed paper P is configured such that the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 at the secondary transfer separation nip is transferred to a desired transfer position with high accuracy.

  The post-transfer conveyance path 33 is disposed above the secondary transfer separation nip between the secondary transfer roller 20 and the driving roller 18. The fixing device 34 is installed in the vicinity of the upper end of the post-transfer conveyance path 33.

  The fixing device 34 includes a fixing roller 34a that contains a heat source such as a halogen lamp, and a pressure roller 34b that rotates while contacting the fixing roller 34a with a predetermined pressure. The post-fixing conveyance path 35 is disposed above the fixing device 34 and branches into a paper discharge path 36 and a reverse conveyance path 41 at the upper end of the post-fixing conveyance path 35.

  A switching member 42 is disposed at the branch portion, and the switching member 42 is driven to swing around the swing shaft 42a. A pair of paper discharge rollers 37 is disposed in the vicinity of the opening end of the paper discharge path 36.

  The reverse conveying path 41 merges with the feeding path 31 at the other end with the branch portion. In the middle of the reverse conveyance path 41, a reverse conveyance roller pair 43 is disposed. The paper discharge tray 44 is installed on the upper portion of the color laser printer 200 so as to form a concave shape inward of the color laser printer 200.

  The powder container 10 (for example, toner container) is disposed between the transfer device 15 and the tray 100. The powder container 10 is detachably attached to the main body of the color laser printer 200.

  The color laser printer 200 of the present embodiment requires a predetermined distance from the feed roller 47 to the secondary transfer roller 20 due to transfer paper conveyance. The powder container 10 is installed in the dead space generated at this distance to reduce the size of the entire laser printer.

  The transfer cover 8 is installed in the upper part of the tray 100 and in front of the feeding tray in the drawing direction. The inside of the color laser printer 200 can be inspected by opening the transfer cover 8. The transfer cover 8 is provided with a manual feeding roller for manual feeding and a manual feeding tray for manual feeding.

  The color laser printer 200 according to the present embodiment is an example configured using an image forming unit including a laser light source. However, the color laser printer 200 is an example of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and is not limited thereto. is not. That is, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as a person who corresponds to any one of a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, a printing machine, and an inkjet recording apparatus.

  Moreover, you may comprise as a multi-function machine which combined these at least 2 or more functions and apparatus. Further, the multifunction apparatus may be an image reading apparatus that includes an image reading unit such as a scanner, and includes a discharge device that reads and discharges an image expressed on a sheet-like member.

<Operation of Image Forming Apparatus>
Next, the basic operation of the color laser printer 200 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, the case of performing single-sided printing will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the feeding roller 47 is rotated by a feeding signal from the control unit of the color laser printer 200. The feeding roller 47 separates only the uppermost sheet of the bundled sheets P stacked on the tray 100 and sends it to the feeding path 31.

  When the leading edge of the paper P sent out by the feed roller 47 reaches the secondary transfer separation nip of the timing roller pair 14, it forms a slack and waits in that state. Then, the optimum timing (synchronization) for transferring the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 to this sheet is achieved, and the leading edge skew of the sheet P is corrected.

  In the case of manual feeding, a bundle of sheets stacked on the manual feeding tray passes through a part of the reverse conveyance path 41 by a manual feeding roller one by one from the uppermost sheet, and the timing roller pair 14 To the secondary transfer separation nip. Subsequent operations are the same as the feeding from the tray 100.

  Here, regarding the image forming operation, one process unit 1K will be described, and the description of the other process units 1Y, 1M, and 1C will be omitted. First, the charging device 4K uniformly charges the surface of the image carrier 2K to a high potential.

  The exposure device 7 irradiates the surface of the image carrier 2K with the laser beam L based on the image data. Then, on the surface of the image carrier 2K irradiated with the laser beam L, the potential of the irradiated portion is lowered to form an electrostatic latent image.

  Then, the developing device 5K transfers the unused black toner supplied from the toner bottle 6K to the surface portion of the image carrier 2K on which the electrostatic latent image is formed. The image carrier 2K to which the toner has been transferred forms (develops) a black toner image on the surface thereof. Then, the toner image formed on the image carrier 2K is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 16.

  The drum cleaning device 3K removes residual toner adhering to the surface of the image carrier 2K after the intermediate transfer process. The removed residual toner is sent and collected by a waste toner transport unit to a waste toner storage unit in the process unit 1K. Further, the static eliminator neutralizes the residual charge of the image carrier 2K from which the residual toner has been removed by the drum cleaning device 3K.

  In the process units 1Y, 1M, and 1C for the respective colors, toner images are similarly formed on the image carriers 2Y, 2M, and 2C, and transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 16 so as to overlap the color toner images.

  When the intermediate transfer belt 16 to which the toner images of the respective colors are transferred so as to overlap each other travels to the secondary transfer separation nip of the secondary transfer roller 20 and the driving roller 18, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 16 is transferred to the timing roller pair 14. The image is transferred to the paper P sent out by.

  Here, the paper P is sent to the secondary transfer separation nip in accordance with the timing at which the toner image formed by being superimposed and transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 16 is suitably transferred. Then, on the fed paper P, the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 at the secondary transfer separation nip is transferred with high accuracy to a desired transfer position.

  The paper P on which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 34 through the post-transfer conveyance path 33. The sheet P conveyed to the fixing device 34 is sandwiched between the fixing roller 34a and the pressure roller 34b, and the unfixed toner image is fixed by heating and pressing. The sheet P on which the toner image is fixed is sent out from the fixing device 34 to the post-fixing conveyance path 35.

  The switching member 42 is located at a position where the vicinity of the upper end of the post-fixing conveyance path 35 is opened as shown by the solid line in FIG. The paper P sent out from the fixing device 34 is sent out to the paper discharge path 36 via the post-fixing conveyance path 35. The paper discharge roller pair 37 sandwiches the paper P sent to the paper discharge path 36 and rotates to discharge the paper P to the paper discharge tray 44, thereby completing single-sided printing.

  Next, a case where duplex printing is performed will be described. As in the case of single-sided printing, the fixing device 34 sends the paper P to the paper discharge path 36. When duplex printing is performed, the paper discharge roller pair 37 conveys a part of the paper P to the outside of the color laser printer 200 by rotation driving.

  When the rear end of the paper P passes through the paper discharge path 36, the switching member 42 swings about the swing shaft 42a as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 2, and closes the upper end of the post-fixing transport path 35. To do. Then, almost simultaneously with the closing of the upper end of the post-fixing conveyance path 35, the paper discharge roller pair 37 rotates in a direction opposite to the direction in which the paper P is conveyed to the outside of the color laser printer 200 and is sent out to the reverse conveyance path 41.

  The sheet P sent to the reverse conveyance path 41 reaches the timing roller pair 14 through the reverse conveyance roller pair 43. The timing roller pair 14 then optimizes the timing (synchronization) of transferring the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 to the toner image non-transfer surface of the paper P, and sends the paper P to the secondary transfer separation nip. .

  The secondary transfer roller 20 and the driving roller 18 transfer the toner image to the toner image non-transfer surface of the paper P when the paper P passes through the secondary transfer separation nip. Then, the paper P on which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 34 through the post-transfer conveyance path 33.

  The fixing device 34 fixes the unfixed toner image on the paper P by sandwiching the conveyed paper P between the fixing roller 34a and the pressure roller 34b and applying heat and pressure. Then, the paper P on which the toner image is fixed is sent out from the fixing device 34 to the post-fixing conveyance path 35.

  The switching member 42 is located at a position where the vicinity of the upper end of the post-fixing conveyance path 35 is opened as shown by the solid line in FIG. The paper P sent out from the fixing device 34 is sent out to the paper discharge path 36 via the fixing conveyance path. The paper discharge roller pair 37 sandwiches the paper P sent to the paper discharge path 36, rotates and discharges it to the paper discharge tray 44, thereby completing double-sided printing.

  Further, after the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 16 is transferred to the paper P, residual toner adheres on the intermediate transfer belt 16. Then, the belt cleaning device 21 removes the residual toner from the intermediate transfer belt 16. Further, the toner removed from the intermediate transfer belt 16 is transported to the powder container 10 by the waste toner transport means and is collected in the powder container 10.

  In the above configuration, an image is formed on the paper P. The paper P on which the image is formed is carried out of the color laser printer 200 (outside the machine).

  Next, a paper P feeding method in the tray 100 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the tray 100 as viewed from a preliminary report. As shown in FIG. 3, the feed roller 47 is disposed on the apparatus main body side. Further, the bottom plate 46 and the cradle 49 are disposed on the tray 100, respectively.

  The feed roller 47 is rotation-stopped by a feed roller shaft 50 and a D-cut or a pin, and is supported on the apparatus main body via a bearing. The feed roller shaft 50 extends in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. A drive gear is attached to the shaft end of the feed roller shaft 50. The drive gear is connected to a drive source such as a motor via a plurality of idle gears or drive connection members such as clutches and solenoids. A driving force is transmitted from the driving source to the feeding roller shaft 50, and the feeding roller 47 is configured to rotate counterclockwise in FIG.

  By controlling the connection time of the drive connection member and the stop time of the drive source, the feed roller 47 is configured to intermittently operate at a predetermined timing. The feed roller 47 has a surface layer portion made of rubber having a high friction coefficient so that a predetermined conveying force can be applied to the paper P. Then, the paper P is fed by controlling the connection time of the drive connection member and the stop time of the drive source.

  The dimensions of the feed roller 47 can be configured with, for example, a diameter of 36 mm and a width of 45 mm. As the dimension, an appropriate feeding roller dimension can be selected according to the type of paper P to be handled by the feeding device and the space in the apparatus.

  The bottom plate 46 of the tray 100 is pivotally supported by a bottom plate rotation shaft 51 provided in the tray 100 so as to be rotatable. The bottom plate 46 is always urged upward by a spring. The sheet P is placed on the bottom plate 46, and the uppermost sheet P is in contact with the feeding roller 47. The paper P is conveyed by the urging force of the spring and the friction coefficient of the feeding roller 47, and can be conveyed rightward in FIG.

  A bottom plate pad 52, which is a pad material having a high friction coefficient, is provided at the tip of the bottom plate 46. A constant load is applied to the lowermost sheet P. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the bottom sheet P and the second sheet P from the bottom from being double fed.

<Embodiment of feeding tray>
Next, an embodiment of the feeding tray according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the structure of the tray 100 according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 is an assembly perspective view showing a state in which the tray 100 is set as a so-called “large tray configuration”. As shown in FIG. 4, the tray 100 includes a tray front portion 101 that is a tray main body portion, a tray rear portion 102 that is a tray extension portion, a tray guide 103 that is a conveyance guide portion, a front panel 104 that is an exterior portion, As the main part. A storage space for the paper P is formed by the tray front part 101 and the tray rear part 102.

  Further, an end fence holder 111 that is a holding member is held in a tray rear portion 102 that constitutes a part of the tray 100. The end fence holder 111 is held so as to be rotatable about two end portions in contact with the tray rear portion 102. Details of the end fence holder 111 will be described later.

  FIG. 5 illustrates a large tray configuration in which the tray 100 is set to a substantially maximum extended state. As shown in FIG. 5, the tray front portion 101 is provided with a right side fence 105 and a left side fence 106, which are a pair of side fences, and a bottom plate 46.

  The pair of side fences (the right side fence 105 and the left side fence 106) include a rack, and positions corresponding to the width of the paper P to be stored by moving both in a relative direction via a pinion gear meshing with the rack. Can be set. By regulating the position of the edge in the width direction of the paper P by the right side fence 105 and the left side fence 106, the skew of the paper P can be prevented.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom plate 46 is fitted to a fulcrum formed on the tray front portion 101, and an end (front end) opposite to the fulcrum can be raised by a spring. As a result, the front end portion of the paper P can be raised, and the paper P is brought into pressure contact with the feed roller 47 disposed in the main body including the tray 100.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tray rear portion 102 is a portion that expands and contracts the tray 100 by being partly inserted into the tray front portion 101 and slidably attached. The tray rear portion 102 is configured not to be detached from the tray front portion 101 at the maximum extension time by inserting a slip prevention claw provided on the outer surface of the bottom surface into a groove formed in the bottom portion of the tray front portion 101. Has been.

  In FIG. 5, the tray rear portion 102 is provided with a lock member 120 on the inner surface of the end portion of the tray front portion 101 on the tray rear portion 102 side as a configuration for holding the tray rear portion 102 in the slide position. The locking member 120 is provided with a protruding member that can be moved forward and backward with respect to the tray rear portion 102, and the protruding portion enters the tray rear portion 102 side so that the tray rear portion 102 can be held at the slide position.

  The protruding member included in the lock member 120 is a member operated by the user. On the surface of the lock member 120, the holding position and the holding release position of the protruding member are displayed corresponding to the forward / backward position of the protruding member of the locking member 120. The user can confirm the holding state of the tray rear portion 102 by identifying the display content on the lock member 120 by the protruding member of the lock member 120. Thus, the tray rear portion 102 is configured not to slide carelessly except when the tray rear portion 102 is slid based on the user's will.

  When the tray rear portion 102 does not need to be slid, that is, in the case of a so-called fixed size, the display portion in the lock member 120 can be covered by arranging a blindfold member instead of the protruding member. . This makes it easy for the user to identify that the tray 100 is for a fixed size.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tray front portion 101 is provided with an end fence 107 as a rear end restricting portion in the vicinity of the center in the direction perpendicular to the expansion / contraction direction. The end fence 107 is a member that regulates the position of the trailing edge of the paper P with respect to the expansion / contraction direction at the center in the width direction of the paper P. The end fence 107 is fitted into an end fence guide portion 110 that is a guide portion formed on the bottom surface inside the tray front portion 101. The end fence 107 is slidable in the front-rear direction of the tray 100 by the end fence guide portion 110. The end fence guide part 110 has a long groove part at the center in a direction perpendicular to the expansion and contraction direction of the paper P, and a sliding guide when a pin provided on the bottom surface of the end fence 107 is inserted into the long groove and moves. It comes to function as a part.

<Embodiment of rear end regulating portion>
Next, the end fence 107 that is the rear end regulating portion and the end fence holder 111 that is a holding portion that slidably holds the end fence 107 in the tray rear portion 102 will be described in detail.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the end fence 107 held by the end fence holder 111. As shown in FIG. 6, the end fence holder 111 is held by a rail portion 132 for sliding the end fence 107. A groove portion 131 is provided in the central portion of the rail portion 132. The hook part of the end fence 107 is fitted in the groove part 131, and the end fence 107 does not come off upward.

  The groove 131 of the end fence holder 111 can be connected to the end fence guide part 110 provided in the tray front part 101.

  The end fence holder 111 includes a latch portion 133 and a regular groove portion 134 along the length direction of the rail portion 132. The latch portion 133 is a hole for stopping the end fence 107 at a predetermined position, and a protrusion formed at an end portion in the width direction of the end fence 107 is configured to fit into this hole. Yes. The regular groove 134 functions as a mark for stopping the end fence 107 at a position corresponding to the regular size of the paper P (for example, A4T, B5T, A5T, etc.).

  As shown in FIG. 6, the end fence 107 includes a first lock member 150 and a second lock member 160. The end fence 107 stops at a fixed position by fitting the claw portion of the elastic arm portion 162 into the fixed groove portion 134. Further, the main body elastic arm portion 152 is stopped by engaging the claw portion (latch claw) of the main body elastic arm portion 152 with the latch portion 133. The stopping pitch varies depending on the pitch of the latch unit 133. For example, the pitch of the latch part 133 is 1 mm interval.

<Embodiment of holding part>
FIG. 7 is a plan view of an end fence holder 111 which is an embodiment of a holding unit according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the end fence holder 111 has a substantially polygonal outer peripheral shape, and a fulcrum portion 137 extending in the lateral direction is formed at each corner. A groove 131 is formed in the central portion of the end fence holder 111 in the width direction. Rail portions 132 are formed on both sides of the groove 131 along the longitudinal direction of the groove 131. The rail portion 132 has a structure that is connected to an end fence guide portion 110 formed in the tray front portion 101, and holds the end fence 107 in a slidable manner in a large tray configuration that will be described later. Therefore, the end fence holder 111 is provided with a mark 136 as a guide for stopping the end fence 107 (see FIG. 6) at a position suitable for the standard size.

  FIG. 8 is a top view showing a state in which the end fence 107 is fixed to the end fence holder 111. As shown in FIG. 8, the stamp 136 exemplified in the present embodiment is “LG”. By matching the marking 136, the end fence 107 can be stopped at a position suitable for the case where the size of the paper P is “LG”.

  FIG. 9 shows the state of the end fence holder 111, the tray front portion 101, and the tray rear portion 102 when the tray 100 is configured as a large tray using the end fence holder 111 to which the end fence 107 is fixed.

  As shown in FIG. 9, in the large tray configuration, the end fence holder 111 disposed between the tray front part 101 and the tray rear part 102 is disposed in such a manner that the tray front part 101 extends rearward. This connection mode is defined as a first connection mode. As shown in FIG. 9, in the first connection mode, the end fence holder 111 is fixed in a mode along the bottom surface of the tray front portion 101.

  A front concave portion 121 for holding the end fence holder 111 is formed at the rear end portion of the tray front portion 101 (the lower end portion of the tray front portion 101 in FIG. 9). Further, a rear concave portion 122 is formed at the front end portion of the tray rear portion 102 (the end portion above the tray rear portion 102 in FIG. 9). The front fulcrum part 137 of the end fence holder 111 is pushed into the front concave part 121 and fixed, and the rear fulcrum part 137 is pushed into the rear concave part 122 and fixed. By fixing the end fence holder 111 to the tray front part 101 and the tray rear part 102 in this way, the tray front part 101 and the tray rear part 102 are connected and fixed by the end fence holder 111.

  When the tray front part 101 and the tray rear part 102 are connected and fixed by the end fence holder 111, the end fence guide part 110 formed on the tray front part 101 is extended rearward by the rail part 132 of the end fence holder 111. The As a result, the slidable range of the end fence holder 111 is extended, so that the end fence 107 can be set at the rearmost portion of the tray rear portion 102. That is, when the tray 100 is configured as a large tray, the end fence holder 111 disposed between the tray front part 101 and the tray rear part 102 may be fixed to the target for extending the tray front part 101.

  Next, the end fence holder 111, the tray front part 101, and the tray rear part 102 when the tray 100 is configured as a small tray will be described. Fig.10 (a) is a top view which shows the aspect of the end fence holder 111 when it is set as a small tray structure. FIG.10 (b) is a side view which shows the aspect of the end fence holder 111 when it is set as a small tray structure.

  A method of changing from the state of the large tray configuration described with reference to FIG. 9 to the state of the small tray configuration illustrated in FIG. 10 will be described. First, in the tray 100 having a large tray configuration as shown in FIG. 9, the fulcrum portion 137 in front of the end fence holder 111 is removed from the front concave portion 121 of the tray front portion 101.

  Next, the rear fulcrum part 137 of the end fence holder 111 is still fitted in the rear concave part 122 of the tray rear part 102, and the front end part of the end fence holder 111 is set with the rear fulcrum part 137 as a rotation axis. Lift up (the side removed from the tray front 101). As it is, the front end of the front portion of the tray is brought closer to the tray rear portion 102 side (the rear wall surface of the tray rear portion 102). By this operation, the end fence holder 111 is in a state of leaning against the rear wall surface of the tray rear portion 102. As a result, the tray front part 101 and the tray rear part 102 are separated.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 10B, the holding member convex portion 126 formed on the end fence holder 111 is fitted into the tray rear concave portion 125 formed on the wall surface of the tray rear portion 102. That is, it is once removed from the end fence holder 111 and the tray front part 101, and the tray front part 101 is fixed to the end fence holder 111 again. As a result, the end fence holder 111 is fixed to the tray rear portion 102. This connection mode is defined as a second connection mode.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 10B, the tray front hooking portion 123 formed at the rear end portion of the tray front portion 101 is fitted into the holding member flange portion 124 included in the end fence holder 111. As a result, the end fence holder 111 is fixed to the tray rear portion 102. Further, the tray front part 101 is also fixed by the end fence holder 111 fixed to the tray rear part 102.

  In this case, since the distance in the front-rear direction between the tray front portion 101 and the tray rear portion 102 is shortened, the overall length of the tray 100 is shortened. Therefore, it becomes a small tray configuration.

  When changing from the small tray configuration which is the second connection mode to the large tray configuration which is the first connection mode, first, the holding member convex portion 126 is removed from the tray rear concave portion 125. Subsequently, the holding member flange portion 124 of the end fence holder 111 is detached from the front tray hook portion 123. As a result, the tray front portion 101 is removed from the end fence holder 111.

  At this time, the rear recess 122 is deeply formed in advance so that the tray front portion 101 can be removed even if the rear fulcrum portion 137 of the end fence holder 111 is fitted into the rear recess 122 of the tray rear portion 102. Also good.

  Subsequently, the end fence holder 111 is tilted forward and fitted to the tray front portion 101. According to the above procedure, the change from the small tray configuration to the large tray configuration can be performed.

  Note that when changing the tray configuration, the end fence 107 is slid in advance toward the end fence guide portion 110 side of the tray front portion 101. As a result, even if the tray configuration is changed, the operation of changing the position of the end fence 107 can be performed in the same manner. That is, the configuration of the tray 100 can be changed without changing the operability for the user.

  As described above, in the tray 100 according to the present embodiment, the large tray configuration (first connection mode) and the small tray configuration (second connection mode) can be easily changed. Further, in both the first connection mode and the second connection mode, the operation of the end fence 107 can be performed in the same manner. Therefore, if it is the tray 100, a user's convenience can be improved.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Tray 101 Tray front part 102 Tray rear part 103 Tray guide 107 End fence 110 End fence guide part 111 End fence holder 121 Front recessed part 122 Rear recessed part 123 Tray front hook part 124 Holding member collar part 125 Tray rear recessed part 126 Holding member convex part 131 Groove part 132 Rail part 133 Latch part 134 Fixed groove part 136 Marking 137 Support part 150 First lock member 152 Main body elastic arm part 160 Second lock member 162 Elastic arm part 200 Color laser printer

JP 2010-58967 A

Claims (9)

A tray body having a storage space for storing a sheet-like member;
A tray extension for extending the storage space;
A rear end restricting portion for restricting the position of the rear end of the sheet-like member in the storage space;
A holding portion that is disposed between the tray body portion and the tray extension portion, and connects the tray body portion and the tray extension portion;
With
The first connection mode by the tray main body unit and the tray extension unit connected by the holding unit is a mode in which the holding unit is arranged along the bottom surface of the tray main body unit,
The second connection mode by the tray main body unit and the tray extension unit connected by the holding unit is a mode in which the holding unit is arranged along the rear wall surface of the tray extension unit.
A feeding tray characterized by that. The tray body portion includes a guide portion that holds the rear end regulating portion so as to be slidable in the feeding direction of the sheet-like member,
The holding portion includes a rail portion that extends the guide portion in the first connection mode.
The feeding tray according to claim 1. The holding part includes a brim part for fitting a part of the rear end of the tray main body part in the second connection mode.
The feeding tray according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that When changing from the first connection mode to the second connection mode,
The holding part connects the tray body part and the tray extension part again after being removed from the tray body part and the tray extension part,
The feeding tray according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein When changing from the first connection mode to the second connection mode,
The holding portion is removed from the tray main body portion and rotated without being removed from the tray extension portion, and then again connects the tray main body portion and the tray extension portion.
The feeding tray according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein A feeding device for feeding the sheet-like member,
At least one is provided with the feeding tray as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5, The feeding apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.   A feeding device comprising the feeding device according to claim 6. An image forming apparatus comprising at least a feeding device, an image forming unit that forms an image on the conveyed sheet-like member, and a discharge device that carries out the sheet on which the image is formed to the outside of the apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising the feeding device according to claim 6. An image reading apparatus including at least a feeding device, an image reading unit that reads an image expressed on the sheet-like member to be conveyed, and a discharge device that carries the sheet-like member on which the image is read out of the apparatus. An image reading apparatus comprising the feeding device according to claim 6.