JP2832062B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, and more particularly, to an image recording apparatus using, for example, an electrophotographic system, a liquid jet recording system, or the like.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 12 shows a conventional example of a recording apparatus having two or more (two systems) sheet feeding means.

In FIG. 12, a paper feed roller 1 as a first paper feed means is used.
The paper 3 loaded on the cassette 2 by the
The paper is separated one by one and transported to a transport roller 6 installed in the middle of the paper guide 5. The sheet is further conveyed to the sub-scanning roller 7 by the conveying roller 6 and the printing unit 8
To the print width. Print head 9 is a guide rail
The printing unit 8 performs printing on the paper by ejecting droplets while moving in the paper width direction by 9a and 9b. The printed sheet is discharged onto a discharge tray 12 from a discharge port 11 by a discharge roller 10.

On the other hand, the second paper feed means is a so-called manual paper feed, in which one sheet is placed on the manual tray 13 and inserted from the manual paper feed port 14, and passed through the paper guide plate 14 by the manual paper feed roller 15. The sheet is transported to the sub-scanning roller 7. From the sub-scanning roller 7 onward, printing is performed in the same process as the paper fed from the cassette 2, and the paper is discharged from the paper discharge port 11 onto the paper discharge tray 12 by the paper discharge roller 10.

Further, the above-mentioned cassette 2 can be pulled out in the direction of arrow A in FIG.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the above conventional example, as shown in FIG. 12, the paper cassette 2 is taken in and out, and the paper after printing is handled on the left side.
Conversely, when performing manual paper feed, it is performed from the right side. Therefore, in addition to the installation location of the machine main body, a space for the operator is required on the left and right sides. As a result, there is a disadvantage that the machine cannot be operated without a large installation location.

Also, in the case of this type of apparatus, it is customary to provide an operation unit with the side (left side in the figure) from which the printed paper is discharged as the front of the apparatus. In this case, there is a problem that the manual paper feed tray 13 and the manual paper feed port 14 are hidden behind the shelves and cannot be used at all.

[Means (and action) for solving the problem]

In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention is configured such that the paper discharge port can be used as a paper supply port, and further, after printing, the paper is discharged again using the same paper supply port as a discharge port. is there. In this way, paper can be fed and discharged from one side of the recording apparatus.

Further, according to the present invention, a part of the feed rotary member
By providing a rotatable sheet pushing member with respect to the feeding rotating body, the sheet trailing end can be pushed reliably during the discharging operation, and the sheet pushing member can be reliably discharged during the sheet feeding operation. The sheet material is pushed by the sheet material tip and escapes to prevent the sheet material feeding operation from being interrupted.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus incorporating the present invention at the time of paper ejection. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the feeding rotary member when the paper is discharged according to the embodiment incorporating the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the paper during the paper feeding.

 The movement, path, and image recording procedure of the recording paper will be described later.

Therefore, the paper pressing member 15, which is the gist of the present invention, is configured such that the c-shaped portion of the paper pressing member 15 is attached to the core metal portion 8c of the lower paper supply / discharge roller 8b.
It is attached with a degree of freedom so that it can rotate with respect to. At the time of paper discharge, as shown in FIG. 2, one end 15b of the c-shaped portion is pushed by a stopper pin 16 provided on the metal core portion 8c of the paper supply / discharge roller 8b, and rotates counterclockwise. Due to the rotational force, the tip of the protruding arm 15a having a spring property
Press the rear end of b to discharge the recording material Pb without fail. Further, even when the paper supply / discharge roller pair 8a, 8b is stopped at the position as shown in FIG. 3 at the time of paper supply such as manual paper supply or the like, the apparatus is advanced rightward on the guide plate 9 by the apparatus user. When the leading end of the recording paper Pc hits the projection arm 15a of the paper pushing member 15, the paper pushing member 15 rotates clockwise as the recording paper Pc moves,
It advances to the position indicated by the broken line in the figure, and does not hinder the movement of the recording paper Pc.
Thereafter, the sheet feeding operation is detected by the detecting lever 11 in FIG. 9, and the sheet feeding / discharging roller 8b is rotated clockwise, and the recording sheet Pc is rotated.
Is fed rightward in the figure. At this time, the paper pushing member 15 is also pushed at one end 15c of the c-shaped part by the stop pin 16 provided on the core metal part 8c of the paper supply / discharge roller 8b, and clockwise similarly to the paper supply / discharge roller 8b. Rotate. At this time, the tip of the projection arm 15a comes into contact with the recording paper Pc for each rotation of the paper pushing member 15, but since the projection arm 15a has a spring property as shown in the drawing, the core metal portion of the paper feed / discharge roller 8b Since the sheet is retracted in the direction 8c, it does not affect the movement of the recording paper Pc.

Next, a case where the paper supply / discharge roller 8b is stopped at a position other than the position shown in FIG. 3 during paper supply such as manual paper supply will be described.

First, FIG. 4 shows that the paper supply / discharge roller 8b is moved from the position shown in FIG.
It shows a state in which it stops at a position turned counterclockwise. In this state, the distal end of the projection arm 15a of the paper pushing member 15 is connected to the manually fed recording paper Pc for a moment as shown in FIG.
Although the paper push member rotates counterclockwise due to its own weight, it is in the state shown by the broken line in the figure,
It does not hinder the movement of the recording paper Pc. Also, FIG.
3 shows a state in which the sheet supply / discharge roller 8b stops at a position clockwise from the position shown in FIG. In this state,
The distal end of the protruding arm 15a of the paper pushing member 15 is at a position where the movement of the manually fed paper Pc is not hindered until the paper Pc reaches the nip of the pair of paper feed / discharge rollers 8a and 8b as shown in the figure. Paper can be fed without any trouble.

Next, the movement of the recording paper, the path, and the procedure of image recording will be described. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a liquid jet recording apparatus as an example.

First, the recording paper Pa set in the paper feed cassette 2 is separated into one sheet by the pick-up roller 3 rotating clockwise in the drawing, and is fed by the feed roller 4 while being guided by the upper feed guide 4 and the lower feed guide 5. Sent to pair 6a, 6b. Thereafter, the recording paper Pa is fed stepwise by a predetermined feed amount by the upper feed roller 6a and the lower feed roller 6b. Ink is ejected from the ink jet head c which is scanned in the front and back directions in the drawing onto the recording paper Pa adhered on the platen plate 7 to record an image. Subsequently, the recording paper Pa is fed one step by the upper feed roller 6a and the lower feed roller 6b in the left direction in the figure.
Again, the head c is scanned in a direction perpendicular to the paper feed to print an image, and thereafter, recording is sequentially performed one step at a time. When the recording paper Pa passes through the nip between the paper supply / discharge rollers 8a and 8b, it falls downward and is discharged onto the tray 10. At this time, the detection of the discharge completion is performed by the detection lever 11 as shown in FIG. In other words, during paper passing, the detection lever 11 is pushed down counterclockwise in the drawing while resisting the adhesive force of the return spring 12 around the support shaft 11a, shuts off the photo sensor (not shown), and is in a paper passing state. When the trailing end of the recording paper Pa passes through the arc portion of the detection lever 11 and falls on the guide plate 9, the detection lever 11 is returned by the urging force of the return spring 12, the return photo sensor is opened, the paper is out, and the paper is discharged. Detect paper. As a result, the detection lever 11
If does not operate, or if the paper has passed and the detection lever is not turned off after a predetermined time, it can be determined that an abnormality has occurred in the paper feed.

The above is the flow of the recording paper Pa in the case of automatic paper feeding from the paper feeding cassette 2. The flow in the case of manual paper feeding one by one will be described with reference to FIG.

First, when the apparatus user presses a manual feed mode button (not shown), the guide plate 9 is moved by a mechanism (not shown) to the recording paper Pc.
Is lifted to a position as shown in the figure so as to guide the paper toward the nip direction of the discharge roller 8a and the lower discharge roller 8b. Next, the recording paper Pc placed on the tray 10 and the guide plate 9 by the user of the apparatus and advanced rightward in the drawing advances through the guide plate 9,
The tip of the lever contacts the arc of the detection lever 11
Is pushed down counterclockwise in the figure around the support shaft 11a.
Then, a photo sensor (not shown) detects that manual paper has been inserted, and the paper supply / discharge rollers 8a and 8b rotate clockwise. Due to this rotational force, the recording paper Pc further advances rightward in the drawing, passes through the platen plate 7, the feed roller 6a, the feed roller 6b, passes through the paper feed cassette 2, and the trailing end of the recording paper Pc is discharged. It stops at the position where the nip between the roller 8a and the paper discharge roller 8b is removed. Then, this time, as the rollers rotate counterclockwise, the recording paper Pc prints an image while being fed stepwise to the left in the figure in the same manner as in the automatic paper feeding described above. . At this time, the guide plate 9 is returned by a mechanism (not shown) to the position of the paper discharge state indicated by the solid line in the drawing, and prepares for paper discharge.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the same device in which the pressing member 15 and the like are omitted from FIG.

[Other Embodiments] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of a feeding rotating body at the time of paper ejection incorporating another embodiment of the present invention. What differs from the previous embodiment is the shape and material of the paper pushing member. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the paper pushing member can rotate the rubber paper pushing 18 having a projection formed on the outer periphery of the hollow rubber cylinder with respect to the cored bar portion 8c of the lower paper feed / discharge roller 8b. This is provided around the c-wheel 17 which can be attached with play. The operations at the time of paper ejection and paper feeding are the same as those in the previous embodiment, and therefore the description is omitted.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the vicinity of a feeding rotary body incorporating still another embodiment. One of the torsion coil spring-like paper pushers 19 in this drawing is fixed to the cored bar 8c of the paper feed / discharge roller 8b, and the other end corresponds to the projection of the paper pusher 19 in the previous two embodiments. Is formed.

In the present embodiment, at the time of paper ejection, the torsion coil spring is used to release the charged one by pushing the trailing end of the paper to improve the paper ejection. Even when the projection hits the projection, the tip of the torsion coil spring-shaped paper pusher rotates until the leading end of the recording paper hits the nip of the supply / discharge rollers 8a and 8b because the whole has a gentle spring property. Does not hinder the movement of

<Recording Unit> The recording unit records an ink image on the recording sheet conveyed by the conveying unit. As a recording means in this apparatus, an ink jet recording method is suitably used.

In the ink jet recording method, a liquid ejection port for ejecting and ejecting a recording ink liquid as a flying droplet, a liquid flow path communicating with the ejection port, and a part of the liquid flow path are provided. Discharge energy generating means for providing discharge energy for causing the ink liquid to fly. Then, the ejection energy generating means is driven in accordance with the image signal to eject ink droplets and record an image.

As the discharge energy generating means, for example, a method using a pressure energy generating means such as an electromechanical transducer such as a piezo element or the like, an electromagnetic wave such as a laser is irradiated and absorbed in the ink liquid to generate heat, and the ink is discharged by the action of the heat generation. There is a method using an electromagnetic energy generating means, a method using a thermal energy generating means for discharging ink by heating an ink liquid by an electrothermal converter, and the like. Among them, the method of ejecting ink using a thermal energy generating means such as an electrothermal converter or the like is capable of high-density recording because the liquid ejection ports can be arranged at a high density, and has a compact recording head. It is preferable because the conversion can be performed.

In this embodiment, a serial type bubble jet recording system, which is one of the ink jet recording systems, is used as a recording unit.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the recording head constituting the recording means, and FIGS. 11 (a) to 11 (g) are explanatory views of the principle of bubble jet recording. The typical configuration and principle are disclosed in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740,796.

In FIG. 10, reference numeral a denotes a heater board on which an electrothermal converter (discharge heater) b and an electrode c made of aluminum or the like for supplying electric power are formed in a film on a silicon substrate. . A top plate e having a partition for partitioning a liquid path (nozzle) d of the recording liquid is bonded to the heater board a. At a predetermined position of the apparatus, an ink cartridge for supplying ink to the recording head is exchangeably mounted.

The ink supplied from the ink cartridge via a conduit is filled into a common liquid chamber g in the recording head from a supply port f provided in the top plate e.
Is guided into each nozzle d. These nozzles d are provided with ink ejection ports h, and the ejection ports h are formed at predetermined pitches in the sheet transport direction so as to face the recording sheet of the recording head.

In this embodiment, the recording head having the above-described configuration is mounted on a reciprocally movable carriage, and the recording is performed by ejecting and flying ink from the recording head in synchronization with the movement of the carriage.

Here, the ink flying principle in the bubble jet recording method will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 (a) and 11 (b).

In the steady state, as shown in FIG.
The surface tension and the external pressure of the ink filled in the ink are balanced at the ejection port surface. When the ink is caused to fly in this state, electricity is supplied to the electrothermal converter b in the nozzle d to cause the ink in the nozzle d to rapidly rise in temperature over the film boiling. Then, as shown in FIG. 11 (b),
The ink adjacent to the electrothermal transducer b is heated to generate fine bubbles, and the ink in the heated portion is vaporized to cause film boiling. As shown in FIG. grow up.

When the bubble grows to the maximum as shown in FIG. 11 (d), the ink droplet is pushed out from the discharge port in the nozzle d. When the energization of the electrothermal converter b is completed,
11 As shown in FIG.
The ink droplets are cooled and shrunk by the ink inside, and the ink droplets fly from the ejection ports due to the growth and shrinkage of the bubbles. Further, as shown in FIG. 11 (f), the ink comes into contact with the surface of the electrothermal transducer b and is rapidly cooled, and the bubbles disappear or shrink to a volume that can be almost ignored. When the bubble shrinks, as shown in FIG. 11 (g), the nozzle d
Inside, ink is supplied from the common liquid chamber g by capillary action to prepare for the next energization.

Therefore, the carriage is reciprocated, and the ink image is recorded on the recording sheet by energizing the electrothermal transducer b according to the image signal in synchronization with the movement.

The embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above, and is solved so that the following inconveniences (1) to (3) do not occur.

(1) Type of recording material Depending on the use environment of the device, the trailing end of the recording material stops while riding on the detection lever when paper is discharged,
Sometimes the paper cannot be completely ejected. The recording paper Pa is given its propulsion force by a pair of paper supply / discharge rollers 8a and 8b.
This is because the propulsive force disappears as soon as the rear end of Pa passes through the nip portion of the pair of paper feed / discharge rollers 8a and 8b. Therefore, it is conceivable to provide a paper holding film or the like on the downstream side of the rollers 8a and 8b so that the paper is knocked down by the repulsive force of the film. According to this, immediately after the trailing end of the recording paper Pa has passed through the nip portion of the pair of paper feed / discharge rollers 8a and 8b, the detection lever
It is possible to prevent the detection lever 11 from being turned off even after a predetermined time has passed, and not to be detected as a paper feed abnormality, without stopping in a manner of riding on the tip of the eleventh embodiment.

(2) However, although the elastic member such as the paper holding film of the above example can generate a downward force, there is no force in the paper discharge direction that is effective for paper discharge. The surface resistance is high like the transparent film-shaped recording material of
If the paper is passed in a low-humidity environment where charging is likely to occur even if the recording material does not have a very high surface resistance, the recording material will be stuck to the tray and the discharged recording material due to static electricity, causing poor paper discharge. This can happen.

Further, when the recording material is weak due to the thin thickness of the recording material or the like, even if a downward force is generated by the above-described paper holding film or the like, the recording material is merely concave, and the paper is completely discharged. May not be possible. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a method of reliably ejecting the paper by hooking and pushing the rear end of the paper with the protrusion of the feeding rotating body is considered.

(3) However, in an image recording apparatus having the same feeding rotator, a function of introducing a recording material into a recording unit at the time of manual sheet feeding and the like and a function of discharging a recording material on which an image is formed to the outside of the apparatus are provided. , Simply by attaching a projection to the feed rotating body,
Depending on the position and angle at which the feed rotator stops after the ejection of paper, the projections hinder the feeding operation such as manual feed.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, a recording unit that forms an image on a sheet material, and a feeding rotator that has a function of introducing the sheet material into the recording unit and a function of discharging the sheet material on which the image is formed to the outside of the apparatus are provided. In the image recording apparatus, by providing a sheet pushing member rotatable with respect to the feeding rotator in a part of the feeding rotator, a projection of the paper pushing member pushes the trailing end of the paper when the sheet is ejected. The sheet pushing member is pushed by the leading end of the sheet material at the time of feeding, and is retracted to a position where the sheet pushing member does not hinder the movement of the sheet material, thereby facilitating the sheet feeding operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an apparatus incorporating the present invention at the time of paper ejection, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of a feeding rotary body of FIG. 1 at the time of paper ejection, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the feed rotator at the time of sheet feeding, and FIG. 4 is a view showing a case where the feed / discharge roller is stopped at a counterclockwise position as compared with FIG. 3 in the embodiment incorporating the present invention. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the feed rotary member showing a case where the paper supply / discharge roller stops at a clockwise position as compared with FIG. 3 in the embodiment incorporating the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of a feeding rotary body incorporating another embodiment at the time of paper ejection, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the vicinity of a feeding rotary body incorporating still another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view at the time of paper ejection showing the sensor of the apparatus shown in FIG. 9, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view at the time of paper feeding showing the sensor of the apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIGS. FIG. 12 is an explanatory view of the means, and FIG. 12 is an explanation of a conventional example. 8: Paper feed / discharge roller 9: Guide plate 15: Paper pushing member 16: Stop pin 17: c-ring 18: Rubber paper pushing 19: Screw coil spring-like paper pushing P: Recording paper

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A recording unit for forming an image on a sheet material, and a feeding unit having a function of introducing the sheet material to the recording unit from outside the apparatus and a function of discharging the sheet material on which the image is formed to the outside of the apparatus. A rotator, provided at a part of the feeding rotator, and rotatable by a predetermined angle with respect to the feeding rotator, and rotating in the discharge direction in conjunction with the rotation of the feeding rotator when discharging the sheet material. A sheet pushing member rotatable so as not to hinder the movement of the sheet when the sheet is brought into contact with the sheet when the sheet is introduced into the stopped feeding rotating body. An image recording apparatus characterized in that: 2. An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image recording apparatus is an ink jet recording system in which recording means performs recording by discharging ink in accordance with a signal. 3. An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means supplies current to said electrothermal transducer in response to a signal, and performs recording by discharging ink using thermal energy of said electrothermal transducer. The image recording device according to claim (2). 4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording means supplies a current to the electrothermal transducer in response to a signal, and the ink is ejected from the ejection port by growth of bubbles generated by heating exceeding film boiling by the electrothermal transducer. The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image recording apparatus employs a bubble jet recording method for performing recording.