JP2883141B2 - Paper feeder - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device for feeding transfer sheets of different sizes.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in copiers, trays and cassettes containing transfer paper have been installed below the main body of the copier in response to demands for miniaturization and reduced installation area. Front-loading type that is pulled out to the front side has become widespread.

However, in order to be able to selectively feed transfer paper of different sizes, trays and cassettes must be installed in a vertically stacked state.

Problems to be solved by the invention By arranging trays and cassettes vertically,
The transfer path of the transfer paper fed from a tray or the like disposed below is long, and the copy path is reduced and the frequency of occurrence of jam is increasing with the increase in the transfer path.

Means for Solving the Problems One of the transfer paper loading sections is provided by having a plurality of transfer paper loading sections in a direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction and sliding linearly in a direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction. A tray is provided so as to face the paper feeding position, one central side fence is provided at a position separating the adjacent transfer paper stacking portions, and a groove having an upper opening is formed at a tip of the central side fence, and a shaft portion is formed. A central auxiliary arm comprising a weight portion and a claw portion projecting to both sides is formed, and the claw portions are adjacent to each other so as to prevent transfer paper loaded on the transfer paper loading portion from climbing over the central side fence. The central auxiliary arm was protruded toward the transfer paper stacking portion side, positioned in the groove, and attached to the central side fence so as to be freely rotatable.

Operation The tray is slid in the horizontal direction, and the transfer paper loading section on which the transfer paper to be fed is loaded is opposed to the paper feed position to feed paper. Therefore, the transfer path of the transfer paper is constant and short even when the transfer paper loaded on any of the transfer paper loading units is fed. Adjacent transfer paper loading sections are separated by one central side fence, and one central auxiliary arm is attached to the central side fence. And the number of parts is reduced. The tray slides linearly in a direction perpendicular to the paper feed direction, so that even if the number of transfer paper mounts is three or more, each transfer paper mount is kept in a fixed position at the paper feed position. Can be opposed.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First,
FIG. 4 schematically shows a front-loading type copying machine, in which a charger 2 for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 around the photosensitive drum 1 and a document table 3 are provided. An exposure optical system 4 for exposing reflected light from an original placed on the photosensitive drum 1 to form an electrostatic latent image, and a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image into a visible image using toner 5
And a registration roller 9 which feeds out the transfer papers 7, 8 fed from the tray 6 in synchronization with the leading edge of the image on the photosensitive drum 1.
After transfer of the image to the transfer papers 7 and 8, this transfer paper
A transfer separation charger 10 for separating the toner images 7 and 8 from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1, a fixing unit 11 for fixing a toner image on the transfer papers 7 and 8, and a paper discharge roller for discharging the produced copy outside the copying machine. 12, a cleaning unit 13 for removing residual toner from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 on which image transfer has been completed, and a charge removing lamp 14 for removing charge on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 on which image transfer has been completed.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, two transfer paper loading portions 15 and 16 for loading the transfer papers 7 and 8 are provided on the upper surface of the tray 6, and these transfer paper loading portions 15 and 16 are provided. Paper loading section 1
Reference numerals 5 and 16 are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the paper feeding direction of the transfer papers 7 and 8 (the direction of arrow A). Further, the transfer paper loading section 1
Reference numerals 5 and 16 denote a bottom plate 18 which is pushed up by a push-up member 17 and rotates upward, and a central side fence 19 which is fixed to the upper surface of the tray 6 and partitions the transfer paper stacking portions 15 and 16.
And a pair of slidable side fences 20 facing in parallel with the central side fence 19 and an end fence 21 slidable along the sheet feeding direction.

Also, at the leading end of the side fence 20 in the sheet feeding direction,
The transfer papers 7, 8 stacked on the bottom plate 18 are
An auxiliary arm 22 for preventing the vehicle from getting over is mounted. Further, a central auxiliary arm 23 for preventing the transfer papers 7, 8 stacked on the bottom plate 18 from climbing over the central side fence 19 is attached to the leading end of the central side fence 19 in the paper feeding direction. . Here, the center auxiliary arm 23 has a resin claw portion as shown in FIG.
24, a metal weight 25, and a resin shaft 26, and the shaft 26 and the weight 25 are housed in a substantially U-shaped groove 27 formed in the central side fence 19. The shaft 26 is rotatably supported, and the claw 25 is provided on both sides of the transfer paper loading sections 15 and 1.
It protrudes to the 6 side.

Next, a rack 28 is formed on the lower surface of the tray 6 in a direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction, and a pin-on 29 driven by a stepping motor (not shown) meshes with the rack 28. Is slidably provided in a direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction by driving a stepping motor. The home position of the tray 6 is determined by detecting the shutter 30 provided on the upper surface of the tray 6 with the sensor 31 when one of the transfer paper stacking units 15 is located at the paper feeding position. ing.

In such a configuration, transfer papers 7 and 8 of different sizes or transfer papers 7 and 8 of the same size but in different directions are stacked on the bottom plate 18 of each of the transfer paper stacking units 15 and 16. Then, the side fence 20 and the end fence 21 are slid according to the loaded transfer sheets 7 and 8 to guide the transfer sheets 7 and 8.

Here, FIG. 5 shows a state in which the transfer paper stacking section 15 faces the paper feeding position. When the bottom plate 18 is pushed up by the push-up member 17 from this state, the upper surface of the transfer paper 7 stacked on the bottom plate 18 is raised. The transfer paper 7 is fed one by one by contacting the paper feed roller 32 and driving the paper feed roller 32.

Next, when the stepping motor is driven from the state shown in FIG. 5 to rotate the pinion 29 in the counterclockwise direction,
The tray 6 slides in a direction (arrow B direction) orthogonal to the paper feeding direction due to the meshing between the pinion 29 and the rack 28, and the transfer paper stacking section 16 eventually faces the paper feeding position as shown in FIG. Then, the transfer sheet 8 stacked on the bottom plate 18 of the transfer sheet stacking section 16 is fed by pushing up the bottom plate 18 by the push-up member 17 and driving the sheet feeding roller 32. Therefore,
When the transfer papers 7, 8 are fed from either of the transfer paper stacking units 15, 16, the length of the transport path of the transfer papers 7, 8 is constant and short. For this reason, the copy speed does not decrease, and the frequency of occurrence of jams decreases.

Further, in the two transfer paper stacking sections 15 and 16, the central side fence 19 and the central auxiliary arm 23 are shared, and the number of parts is reduced.

In this embodiment, the two transfer paper stacking sections 15, 1
Although the tray 6 having 6 has been described as an example, the number of transfer paper loading units provided on the tray may be three or more.

As described above, the present invention has a plurality of transfer paper loading sections in a direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction and slides linearly in a direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction to move any of the transfer paper loading sections. A central side fence is provided at a position separating adjacent transfer paper stacking portions, and a groove having an upper opening is formed at a tip of the central side fence. Forming a central auxiliary arm including a shaft portion, a weight portion, and claw portions projecting to both sides, and the claw portion so as to prevent transfer paper loaded on the transfer paper loading portion from climbing over the central side fence. Is projected to the adjacent transfer paper stacking portion side, the center auxiliary arm is positioned in the groove, and is rotatably attached to the central side fence. The transfer paper stacking section to selectively feed one of the transfer paper stacking sections to the sheet feeding position so that paper can be fed from either transfer sheet stacking section. The length of the transport path can be made constant and short, so that a decrease in copy speed and an increase in the frequency of occurrence of jams caused by an increase in the length of the transport path can be prevented. In the paper stacking section, the central side fence and the central auxiliary arm are shared, so the number of parts can be reduced and costs can be reduced.In particular, the central auxiliary arm is provided in the groove of the central side fence. Therefore, the outer surface of the central side fence is flat and has effects such as not obstructing the movement of the sheet.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a tray, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a tray on which transfer papers are stacked, FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the entire copying machine, FIGS. 5 and 6 are side views for explaining the sliding operation of the tray, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing an attached state of the center auxiliary arm. 6 ... Tray, 7,8 ... Transfer paper, 15,16 ... Transfer paper loading section, 19 ...
Central side fence, 23 ... Central auxiliary arm

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of transfer paper stacking portions in a direction perpendicular to a paper feeding direction and a linear slide in a direction orthogonal to the paper feeding direction to feed any one of the transfer paper stacking portions; Provide a tray that faces the position,
A central side fence is provided at a position separating adjacent transfer paper stacking sections, a groove having an upper opening is formed at a tip of the central side fence, and a center including a shaft portion, a weight portion, and claws protruding on both sides. An auxiliary arm is formed, and the claw portion is protruded toward the adjacent transfer paper loading portion side so as to prevent the transfer paper loaded on the transfer paper loading portion from climbing over the central side fence. A sheet feeding device, wherein the sheet feeding device is rotatably mounted on the central side fence by being positioned in the groove.