JP2798145B2 - Structure of the front loading type paper feed cassette of the image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the structure of a front loading type paper feed cassette provided in an image forming apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A so-called front-loading paper cassette in which a plurality of cassette storage sections are provided in a stepped manner in an image forming apparatus main body, and each cassette storage section can be removably stored in a detachable opening in the front of the image forming apparatus main body. There is known an image forming apparatus including

[0003] This front-loading paper feed cassette is mainly used in electronic copiers, laser beam printers and the like.

When a sheet material fed from a paper feed cassette is fed in a state of being shifted laterally in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, a part of the original image may not be formed.

[0005] Such a lateral displacement of the sheet material occurs when the sheet feeding cassette is not stored in a correct position in the image forming apparatus main body due to an error in assembling the image forming apparatus main body.

For this reason, in an image forming apparatus provided with a front-loading type paper feed cassette, the horizontal position of the paper feed cassette housed and fixed in the cassette housing section in the main body of the image forming apparatus is usually adjusted. In this way, it is possible to cope with errors in assembling the main body of the image forming apparatus and to prevent the sheet material fed from the paper feed cassette from laterally shifting.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a conventional image forming apparatus (electronic copying machine) provided with a front-loading type paper feed cassette, and FIG. 10 shows a horizontal direction of the paper feed cassette in the conventional image forming apparatus. 1 shows a configuration for adjusting the position of the image.

In the lower portion of the main body 1 of the image forming apparatus, there are provided a plurality of cassette housing sections 2, each of which has a front surface (front panel) 1 of the main body 1 of the image forming apparatus.
A front-loading type sheet cassette 5 that can be pulled out from the attachment / detachment opening 3 of A (see FIG. 8) is provided.

In each paper cassette 5, sheets S of different sizes are stacked and stored.

As shown in FIG. 10, the paper feed cassette 5 is provided with a fixing member 7 which can be engaged and disengaged from a stopper 6 provided in the image forming apparatus main body 1. When the sheet cassette 5 is stored in the cassette storage section 2, the storage state in the cassette storage section 2 is fixed by engaging the fixing member 7 with the stopper member 6.

The fixing member 7 is rotatably attached to the sheet cassette main body 5A by a shaft 9. One end of the fixing member 7 is provided with a locking portion 7A, and the other end is provided with a handle 7B. A tension coil spring 11 for interposing the engaging portion 7A from the opening 10 of the paper cassette main body 5A is interposed between the engaging portion 7A and the paper cassette main body 5A.

The fixing member 7 rotates around the shaft 9 when the handle 7B located in the notch 12A of the front panel 12 fixed to the front surface of the paper feed cassette body 5A is pulled in the direction of the arrow. The locking portion 7A that is urged by the extension coil spring 11 and protrudes from the opening 10 enters the sheet cassette main body 5A.

When the sheet cassette 5 is to be stored in the cassette storage section 2 through the opening 3, the locking portion 7 A of the fixing member 7 is inserted into the cassette body 5 A as described above.

When the rear end of the sheet cassette 5 inserted into the opening 3 is brought into contact with the biasing member (leaf spring) 13 provided at the back of the cassette housing 2, the sheet cassette 5 is further pushed in. Release the handle from the handle 7B at the bent position.

In this manner, the locking portion 7A projects from the opening 10 by the extension coil spring 11, and the paper feed cassette 5 is urged by the urging member 13 and returned.

Accordingly, the paper feed cassette 5 is provided in FIGS.
As shown in (1), the locking portion 7A of the fixing member 7 is locked by the stopper member 6 and is fixed in the cassette storage portion 2.

As described above, the locking portion 7A of the fixing member 7 is locked to the stopper member 6 so that the cassette housing portion 2 is locked.
The stopper member 6 is moved in the direction of the arrow (cassette insertion / removal direction) to adjust the lateral position (cassette insertion / removal direction) of the paper feed cassette 5 fixed to.

The stopper member 6 is attached to a horizontal bracket 15 provided on the image forming apparatus main body 1 so as to be movable in the direction of the arrow. Then, by turning the adjusting screw 16, the adjusting screw 16 is moved in the direction of the arrow. The stopper member 6 is fixed to the bracket 15 by a set screw 17 after adjusting the position of the sheet cassette 5 in the lateral direction.

[0019]

However, as described above,
When the horizontal position adjustment of the paper feed cassette 5 housed and fixed in the cassette housing section 2 is performed by moving the stopper member 6, as shown in FIG. It is shifted from the front surface 1A of the forming apparatus body 1. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 11, the deviation differs for each paper feed cassette 5, so that the appearance of the image forming apparatus is significantly impaired.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the front panel surface is kept in front of the image forming apparatus even when the position is adjusted in the horizontal direction while being fixedly accommodated in the cassette accommodating portion. It is an object of the present invention to provide a structure of a front loading type paper feed cassette of an image forming apparatus, which can be combined (arranged on the same plane).

[0021]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a front loading type paper feed cassette of an image forming apparatus which is housed in a cassette accommodating portion of the image forming apparatus main body so as to be able to be pulled out from a detachable opening on the front of the image forming apparatus main body. .

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the paper cassette can be slid on a front surface of the paper cassette body in a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the paper cassette body. Biased in the front direction, and
A front panel is provided which engages with a restricting portion provided in a mounting / detaching opening of the image forming apparatus.

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a front panel is provided on a front surface of a paper cassette main body, which is movable in a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the paper cassette main body by using an adjusting screw. It is characterized by having.

[0024]

According to the above construction, when the paper cassette main body is not stored in the cassette storage section of the image forming apparatus main body,
The front panel is in contact with the front surface of the sheet cassette main body.

Then, when the sheet cassette main body is stored in the cassette storage section through the attachment / detachment opening on the front surface of the image forming apparatus main body,
The front panel is engaged with the restricting portion of the opening / detachment opening.

Therefore, when adjusting the position of the sheet cassette main body housed and fixed in the cassette housing section in the horizontal direction, the front panel is in a state of being engaged with the restricting portion of the attachment / detachment opening, and only the sheet cassette main body is in the horizontal direction. Go to

Thus, even if the position of the sheet cassette main body housed and fixed in the cassette housing section is adjusted in the horizontal direction,
The front panel surface is always located on the same plane as the front surface of the image forming apparatus main body.

Further, according to the above configuration, the front panel can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the sheet cassette main body by the adjusting screw.

With this arrangement, when the front panel surface is shifted from the front surface of the image forming apparatus main body due to the horizontal position adjustment of the sheet cassette main body housed and fixed in the cassette housing section, the front panel position is adjusted. The deviation can be eliminated by adjusting with a screw.

[0030]

[0031]

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

<Embodiment 1> FIGS. 1 and 2 show a front loading type paper feed cassette of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the same members as those of the above-described conventional image forming apparatus are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the members which do not change in function is omitted.

The paper feed cassette 20 is slidable on the front surface of the paper feed cassette body 20A in a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the paper feed cassette body 20A and attached to the front side of the paper feed cassette body 20A. A front panel 21 is provided which is urged and engages with a regulating portion 3A provided in the attachment / detachment opening 3 of the image forming apparatus main body 1.

A plurality of rectangular cylindrical engagement holes 23 are provided on the front surface of the paper feed cassette main body 20A.
On the other hand, square tubular bosses 25, 25 are provided on the inner surface of the front panel 21 at portions facing the engagement holes 23, 23, respectively. Each boss 25, 25 is slidably fitted into each of the engagement holes 23, 23.

Further, spring hooks 26 and 27 are provided at the rear end of the engaging hole 23 and the tip of the boss 25, and a tension coil spring 29 is interposed between the spring hooks 26 and 27. Is equipped.

As described above, the front panel 21 is provided with each boss 2
5 and 25 are slidably fitted in the engagement holes 23 and 23, and a tension coil spring 29 is interposed between the spring hooks 26 and 27, so that the sheet feeding cassette body 20A is provided.
It is attached to the front of the unit.

The front panel 21 is provided with the respective bosses 25, 2
By sliding each of the engagement holes 23, 23, the slide 5 can be slid in the direction perpendicular to the front surface of the sheet cassette main body 20A as described above. Also, the front panel 21
As described above, the feed cassette main body 20 is extended by the tension coil spring 29 interposed between the spring hooks 26 and 27.
A is urged toward the front of A.

The front panel 21 of the sheet cassette 20 is normally in contact with the front surface of the sheet cassette body 20A by the urging force of the tension coil spring 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the paper feed cassette 20 is stored in the cassette storage section 2 of the image forming apparatus main body 1, the front panel 21 is engaged with the restricting section 3A of the mounting opening 3.

In this state, the sheet cassette main body 20A housed in the cassette housing section 2 is fixed, and the position of the fixed sheet cassette main body 20A in the horizontal direction is adjusted. The fixing means and the position adjusting means are the same as in the above-mentioned conventional example.

At this time, since the front panel 21 is regulated by the regulating section 3A, only the sheet cassette main body 20A moves in the lateral direction.

Therefore, in the paper feed cassette 20,
Even after the position is adjusted in the horizontal direction after being fixed to the cassette accommodating portion 2, the front panel surface 21A is on the same plane as the front surface 1A of the image forming apparatus 1 as shown in FIGS.

<Embodiment 2> FIGS. 5 and 6 show a front loading type paper feed cassette of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the same members as those of the above-described conventional image forming apparatus are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions of those which do not change in function are omitted.

The paper feed cassette 30 has a front panel 32 which is movable on a front surface of the paper feed cassette body 30A by using an adjusting screw 31 in a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the paper feed cassette body 30A.

On the front surface of the sheet cassette main body 30A, a plurality of concave portions 33, 33 each having a rectangular tube shape are provided. On the other hand, bosses 35, 35 having a prismatic shape are provided at portions of the inner surface of the front panel 32 facing the recesses.

The bosses 35, 35 are slidably fitted in the recesses 33, 33. Then, a set screw 36 (see FIG. 6) that slides with the boss 35 is fastened to the peripheral wall 33A of the concave portion 33,
The front panel 32 is fixed to the sheet cassette main body 30A.

The set screw 36 screwed into the boss 35 is slidably fitted into an oblong groove 37 formed below the peripheral wall 33A of the recess 33 (see FIG. 7).

The adjusting screw 31 is attached to the center of each boss 35,35. A central hole 39 having a female screw 39A at the front end and a counterbore 39B at the rear end is formed at the center of the boss 35. The adjusting screw 31 is passed through the center hole 39, is screwed to the female screw 39 </ b> A, and protrudes from the tip of the boss 35 by a predetermined length so that the tip thereof contacts the bottom wall of the recess 33. The head 31A of the adjusting screw 31 is counterbore 39B
Located within.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the paper feed cassette 30 is stored in the cassette storage section 2 of the image forming apparatus main body 1, the locking portion 7A of the fixing member 7 is stopped by the stopper similarly to the above-mentioned conventional example. It is fixed by locking to the member 6. In addition, the position in the lateral direction is adjusted by moving the stopper member 6 with the adjusting screw 16.

In the case where the horizontal position adjustment of the main sheet cassette 30 is performed as described above, if the front panel surface 32A is displaced from the front surface 1A of the image forming apparatus main body 1, the set screw 36 is set. Loosen and turn adjustment screw 31,
Since the front panel 32 moves in a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the sheet cassette main body 30, the front panel surface 32 moves as shown in FIGS.
A can be arranged on the same plane as the front surface 1A of the image forming apparatus main body 1.

In the first and second embodiments, the engaging hole 23, the boss 25, the concave portion 33, and the boss 35 have a square shape, but may be changed to a circular shape or the like. Further, in each embodiment, the case where two of these are provided is shown, but two or more may be provided.

[0054]

As described above, according to the structure of the front loading type paper feed cassette of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the position of the paper feed cassette main body is adjusted in the lateral direction of the cassette accommodating portion of the image forming apparatus main body. At this time, the front panel surface can be arranged on the same plane as the front surface of the image forming apparatus main body.

For this reason, the front panel surface of the sheet cassette accommodated in each cassette accommodating portion of the image forming apparatus main body is not aligned with the front surface of the image forming apparatus main body, and the external appearance of the image forming apparatus is impaired. Disappears.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view in which a part of a front loading paper feed cassette of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention is cut away.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the paper feed cassette.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus (electronic copying machine) provided with the paper feed cassette.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the image forming apparatus with a part cut away.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a front loading type sheet cassette of the image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, with a part cut away.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional side view showing a main part of the paper feed cassette.

FIG. 7 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow X in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional image forming apparatus (electronic copying machine) provided with a front-loading paper feed cassette.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the image forming apparatus with a part cut away.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional side view showing a main part (paper feed cassette fixing part) of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 11 is an external perspective view illustrating a state of the image forming apparatus after the position of the sheet cassette in the horizontal direction is adjusted.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 image forming apparatus 1A front face of image forming apparatus main body 2 cassette storage unit 3 detachable opening 3A regulating unit 20, 30 front loading type paper cassette 20A, 30A paper cassette body 21, 32 front panel 21A, 32A front panel surface 31 adjustment Screw

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A front loading type paper feed cassette for an image forming apparatus, which is housed in a cassette housing section in the main body of the image forming apparatus so as to be able to be pulled out from a detachable opening on the front of the main body of the image forming apparatus. The paper cassette main body is slidable in a direction perpendicular to the front surface thereof, is urged toward the front surface of the paper cassette main body, and engages with a restricting portion provided in a detachable opening of the image forming apparatus main body. A front loading type paper feed cassette of the image forming apparatus, wherein a front panel is provided. 2. A front-loading type sheet cassette of an image forming apparatus in which a cassette storage portion in a main body of the image forming apparatus is housed so as to be able to be pulled out from a detachable opening of a front surface of the image forming apparatus main body. A front panel movable in the direction perpendicular to the front surface of the sheet cassette main body by using an adjusting screw, wherein the front loading type sheet cassette of the image forming apparatus is provided.