JP2576439B2 - Paper feeder - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper feeder in a recording apparatus such as a copying machine, which is capable of increasing a required number of paper feed cassettes containing sheets of different sizes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Many conventional recording apparatuses, for example, relatively small copying machines, have a plurality of paper cassettes b which can be inserted into a lower portion of a main body a as shown in FIG. Copying is performed on paper c fed from sheet b, and when paper c of a required size is not in sheet feeding cassette b, copying is performed by replacing sheet feeding cassette b prepared separately.

[0003]

However, in the above-described copying machine, since the sheet feeding cassette b protrudes largely to the side of the main body a, a large space is required for installing the main body a. Even if it is reduced in size, the effect of being easily installed in a narrow place is impaired. In addition, since the number of sheet cassettes that can be mounted on the main body a is small, the sheet cassette b must be stored in another place, and there is a problem that a place for storing is required.

[0004] On the other hand, the applicant has filed a Japanese Patent Application No. 58-1196.
No. 7 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-6538) has filed an application for a paper feeder which does not require a storage space for the paper feed cassette by increasing the number of paper feed cassettes. However, in this paper feeder as well, since a part of the paper feed cassette protrudes outside the copying machine main body, the disadvantage that the effect of being easily installed in such a narrow place as described above is impaired is inevitable.
The present invention has been made for the purpose of improving the above-mentioned conventional problems.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a first paper feed cassette which accommodates sheets and is provided at a lower stage with respect to an apparatus body, A first paper supply roll that rotates so as to send out the stored paper toward the apparatus main body, and a second paper supply cassette that stores the paper and is provided below the first paper supply cassette And a second paper feed roll that rotates so as to send out the paper stored in the second paper feed cassette toward the apparatus main body, wherein the first paper feed cassette A slit-shaped paper path is formed in an outer wall portion on a sheet sending side, and the sheet sent from the second sheet cassette by the second sheet feed roll is sent to the apparatus main body through the sheet path. It is designed to be transported.

[0006]

[Operation] The paper feed cassette can be stacked under the main body of the device, so that the main body can be easily installed even in a narrow space. In addition, there is no need to store the paper feed cassette separately. Location can be eliminated.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes an apparatus main body, for example, a copying machine main body. Various devices necessary for copying, such as the photoconductor 2, the developing device 3, the transfer device 4, the fixing device 5, and the cleaning device 6, are accommodated therein. Reference numeral 7 denotes a plurality of paper feed cassettes which can be mounted in a state of being stacked on the lower part of the copying machine main body 1, for example, a first paper feeding cassette below the copying machine main body 1 and a lower paper feeding cassette below the same. A sheet that is provided so as to be a second sheet cassette, has a peripheral box 7g having a flat box shape substantially the same size as the copying machine body 1, and can accommodate sheets 8 of different sizes inside. A receiving tray 7a is provided so as to be freely inserted and removed. A bottom plate 7b urged upward by a spring 9 is provided at the bottom of one end of the sheet receiving tray 7a. One end of the sheet 8 stored in the sheet storage unit 7a by the bottom plate 7b is connected to the bottom plate 7b.
Above the paper feed cassettes 7 provided for the respective paper feed cassettes 7 from below. The paper feed roll 10 is rotatably driven via a gear 12 by paper feed roll rotation means 11 such as a motor provided on the side of each paper feed cassette 7, and the paper feed roll rotation means 11 When the paper cassettes 7 are stacked and mounted on the lower side of the copying machine main body 1, a transmission path connected to a driving force supply means (not shown) of the copying machine main body 1 by the driving force transmission means is formed. It has become.

The driving force transmitting means is provided in each of the sheet cassettes 7.
One of the connectors 13a is connected to the paper feed roll rotating means 11 via a lead wire 14, and the other 13b of the connector 13 is connected to one of the connectors 16a of the copier body 1 side connector 16 via a lead wire 15. The driving force supplied from the driving force supply means on the copying machine main body 1 side is supplied to the paper feed roll rotating means 11.

On the other hand, the paper tray 7a of the paper cassette 7
At the side end of the paper feed roll 10 of the paper 8 accommodated in the
A cone snubber 17 is provided to give a judgment to the paper 8 fed by the paper feed roll 10 to prevent the paper 8 from being fed multiple times, and to prevent the paper 8 from being fed multiple times.
Paper feed side end portion which is the delivery side, i.e. the feed of the sheet 8
A concave arcuate guide surface 7c for guiding the leading end of the paper 8 fed by the paper feed roll 10 upward and a paper feed from the lower paper feed cassette 7 are provided on the outer wall 7g on the delivery side. That is, a slit-shaped paper path 7d through which the paper 8 sent out by the lower paper feed roll 10 passes is formed, and when the required number of paper feed cassettes 7 are stacked, copying from the paper feed cassette 7 side is performed. A paper conveyance path communicating with the machine main body 1 is formed, and the paper 8 sent from the lower paper cassette 7 is transferred to the paper 8 of the upper paper cassette 7 .
The sheet path 7d formed on the outer wall 7g on the sending side.
And is conveyed to the copying machine main body 1 via the.

A handle 7e is formed at an end of the paper tray 7a opposite to the paper feed side by recessing a part of the paper tray 7a so that the paper tray 7a can be pulled out by the handle 7e. Has become. On the other hand, the paper 8 fed from the paper feed cassette 7 is transported to a transport path 19 by a transport roll 18 provided in the copying machine main body 1, and further via a registration roll 20 provided in the transport path 19. Photoconductor 2
And the transfer device 4. In addition,
In the drawing, reference numeral 21 denotes a paper insertion slot for manual copying, and reference numeral 22 denotes a moisture-proof film such as a conductive mylar provided at a connection portion between the copying machine main body 1 and the paper path 7d of the uppermost paper supply cassette 7.

Next, the operation will be described. In use, a required number of paper feed cassettes 7 each containing paper 8 having a different size in a paper tray 7a are prepared and stacked on the lower side of the copying machine main body 1. It is mounted in this state, and the driving force supply means on the copying machine main body 1 side and the paper supply roll rotating means 11 of each paper supply cassette 7 are connected via the driving force transmission means comprising connectors 13 and 16 and lead wires 14 and 15. I do. Next, when a paper size is selected by a selecting means (not shown) on the copying machine main body 1 side and the copy switch 23 is pressed to start copying, the paper feed roll of the paper supply cassette 7 containing the paper 8 of the selected size is pressed. A driving force is supplied to the rotating means 11 from the copying machine main body 1 side, and the paper feed roll 10 rotates to feed the paper 8. The fed paper 8 is sent out to the transport path 19 by the transport roll 18, and after turning on a paper detection switch 24 provided in the transport path 19, reaches the registration roll 20. When the paper detection switch 24 is turned on, the photoconductor 2 is rotated, and copying is performed on the paper 8 in a normal copying process. Then, the copy-completed sheet 8 is discharged to a discharge tray 25 provided on the side of the copying machine main body 1.

In the above operation, since the photosensitive member 2 and the sheet 8 are synchronized by a signal from a sheet detection switch 24 provided in the middle of the transport path 19, the sheet cassettes 7 stacked in a plurality of stages are provided. The copying timing does not shift even if there is a time difference between each stage and the time when the paper 8 reaches the copying machine body 1.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment in which the sheet 8 is separated without using a cone snubber. The sheet 8 accommodated in the sheet tray 7a of the sheet cassette 7 is fed to the sheet feed roll 10 by the sheet feed roll 10. The paper tray 7 is retracted by reversing the
After the sheet 8 is discarded by being brought into contact with the rear wall 7f, the sheet feeding roll 10 may be rotated forward to feed the sheet.

[0014]

According to the present invention, as described in detail above, since the paper feed cassette can be mounted and used in a state of being stacked on the lower portion of the apparatus main body, the apparatus main body can be easily installed even in a narrow place, and the paper feed can be performed. Since there is no need to store cassettes separately, no storage space is required. And since the number of required paper cassettes can be increased in the vertical direction, a plurality of paper cassettes can be installed in a small space.
The device itself can be reduced in size and space. In addition, since a paper path is provided to allow the paper fed into the paper cassette to pass through, the paper from each paper cassette is placed inside the paper cassette without the need to provide a paper transport path outside the paper cassette. Paper can be fed to the main body, which also makes it possible to reduce the size of the entire apparatus. In addition, the paper path is
By forming it on the outer wall of the paper sending side,
The size of the paper cassette can be reduced, and the overall size of the device can be reduced.
Can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a copying machine showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a copying machine showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a sheet feeding cassette.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a connection state of a copying machine main body and a paper feed cassette;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view inside a V circle in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a use state.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment of the sheet separating means.

FIG. 8 is a conventional explanatory diagram.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Copy machine body 7 ... Paper feed cassette 7a ... Paper tray 7d ... Paper passage 7g ... Outer wall part 8 ... Paper 10 ... Paper feed roll 11 ... Drive source

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A first paper feed cassette which accommodates sheets and is provided at a lower stage with respect to the apparatus main body; and a paper feed cassette which feeds the paper accommodated in the first paper feed cassette toward the apparatus main body. A first paper supply roll that moves, a second paper supply cassette that stores paper and is provided below the first paper supply cassette, and a paper that is stored in the second paper supply cassette. A second paper feed roll that rotates so as to feed the paper to the apparatus main body, wherein the first paper feed cassette has a slit formed in an outer wall portion on a paper feed side. A paper path is formed, and the paper fed from the second paper supply cassette by the second paper supply roll is conveyed to the apparatus main body through the paper path. Paper equipment.