JP2891724B2 - Paper feeder - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper feeder suitable for feeding multi-size, large-capacity copy paper in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a plurality of paper feeding cassettes are mounted as a feeding means for copying paper of various sizes and large capacities, or a paper feeding cassette is connected to the main body of the copying machine in connection with space saving. , And a so-called front-loading type in which the sheet cassette is pulled out to the front side of the copying machine body to exchange and replenish sheets.

In addition, a plurality of paper feed cassettes are arranged vertically vertically in the structure, and the paper feed cassette containing the paper to be fed is moved to the paper feed port provided in the copier body, and the paper is fed from the paper feed cassette. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 60-15335 discloses a paper feed cassette device in which the conveying path to the mouth is fixed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By the way, in a copying machine having a multi-stage paper feeding cassette, a paper feeding cassette containing one type of paper is located in a paper feeding section to a transport path on the copying machine side. In this case, the space occupying the sheet cassette is not effectively used, which is not preferable in terms of space saving.

Particularly, in a copying machine in which the installation area tends to be reduced, it is necessary to additionally provide a paper feeding device below the copying machine main body in order to enable use of a large-capacity, multi-size transfer paper. The trade-off for reducing the installation area is the following disadvantage.

The first point is that the paper feeder is below the copier body,
When exchanging or refilling the transfer paper, the user must be forced to bend down and bend over. It takes a long time to be discharged to the outside, and when one or two copies are required from one of the most frequently used originals, productivity is significantly reduced. Third, as the transport path becomes longer as described above, transport failure such as paper jam of the transfer paper is likely to occur in the middle of the path.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a paper feeding device for a copying machine that can effectively use the depth of the body of the copying machine and the space occupied by a paper feeding cassette. .

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a paper feeding unit which is arranged in a vertical direction in multiple stages and is front-loaded, and a direction perpendicular to the loading direction for each of the paper feeding units arranged in the multiple stages. A transfer roller for feeding the transfer paper fed by a feed roller provided for each of the paper feed units to a transfer unit through a common transfer path; and A plurality of transfer paper placement units are provided on the same horizontal plane in one arranged paper supply unit, and the transfer paper stacked on the transfer paper placement unit is moved horizontally in the paper supply unit so as to face the feed roller. Paper feed position switching moving means to be moved;
Is provided. [Operation] According to the configuration of the present invention, the paper supply unit accommodates a transfer paper placement unit that accommodates a plurality of transfer papers, and moves the transfer paper placement unit in the paper supply unit to transfer predetermined transfer paper. A plurality of transfer papers can be supplied to the image forming unit through a fixed transport path by making a selection and effectively utilizing the space in the depth direction of the paper feeding device main body.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 13 schematically shows a copying machine to which the paper feeding device of the present invention can be applied. The paper feeding device is of a front loading type that can be mounted from the front of the copying machine main body.

13A shows a type in which a paper feeding device 2 is provided inside a copying machine main body 1, and FIG. 13B shows a type in which the paper feeding device 2 is mounted on a paper feeding table 3 different from the copying machine main body 1. It is.

Hereinafter, the paper feeder 2 will be described with respect to the copier interior type shown in FIG. 13 (a), but the same applies to the case of FIG. 13 (b).

In the copying machine body 1, a light image of a document placed on a document table 6 is exposed to a photosensitive drum 4 uniformly charged by a charging unit 5 via an exposure optical system 7, and is formed by exposure. A so-called image forming process in which the electrostatic latent image is developed into a visible image by the developing unit 8, and a transfer charger / separation charger for transferring the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 4 to transfer paper fed from the paper feeding device 2. 9 to transfer the toner image on the transfer paper to the fixing unit.
There is provided a so-called transporting step of discharging the transfer paper fixed by 10 and the fixed transfer paper to a discharge tray 11 outside the apparatus. The cleaning unit 12 removes residual toner from the surface of the photosensitive drum 4 onto which the toner image has been transferred,
To return to the reuse state.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show an embodiment of the sheet feeding device 2 of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to the drawings.

The paper feeder 2 includes a front tray 21 that can be pulled out from the front of the copier main body 1 and a movable tray mounting frame 23 that supports a movable tray, which is formed integrally with a rail 22, and two types of transfer paper 15a. , 15b, and a movable tray section 24 that can move on the rail section 22 of the movable tray mounting frame 23.

This corresponds to the approximate center position of the rail portion 22 of the movable tray mounting frame 23, and corresponds to the position of the transfer paper 15a (the state in FIG. 1) on the back side in the arrangement in which the movable tray portion 24 is moved toward the front exterior portion 21 side. A feeding roller 16 is disposed in the copying machine main body 1 so that a transfer sheet located below the feeding roller 16 can be fed to a transfer position.

A rack 25 is formed at the bottom of the movable tray 24 in parallel with the rail 22 to move one of the two types of transfer paper in the movable tray 24 below the feed roller 16 of the copying machine body 1.
A pinion 27 formed on the shaft of a forward / reverse rotatable motor 26 supported on the rail portion 22 of the movable tray mounting frame 23 is engaged with the rack 25.

The movable tray unit 24 has bottoms 29a and 29b corresponding to the transfer paper placement units 32a and 32b, and the bottoms 29a and 29b have feed rollers, respectively.
A push-up member 28 that can be moved to the 16 side is provided. In the drawing, reference numeral 30 denotes a side fence for positioning the sides of the two transfer paper placement portions 32a and 32b in the movable tray portion 24, and reference numeral 31 designates a position behind the transfer paper placement portions 32a and 32b of the movable tray portion 24. By moving the side fence 30 and the end fence 31, the size of the transfer paper to be stacked, that is, the size of the two transfer paper mounting portions 32a and 32b can be changed. Reference numeral 17 denotes a front exterior part of the copying machine main body 1, and 19 denotes a rear exterior part of the copying machine main body 1.

In this embodiment, the transfer paper placing portion 32a of the movable tray portion 24,
On 32b, each transfer paper 15a of paper size A5 landscape, B5 length,
15b is placed, and the fourth operation
This will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the transfer paper placing portion 32a on the back side of the movable tray portion 24 is arranged corresponding to the feed roller 16,
A5 in the operation unit by the paper size detection means (not shown) linked to the side fence 30 and the end fence 31
In addition to displaying the landscape and B5 portraits, it also indicates that the A5 landscape paper is at the paper feed position and is ready for paper feed.

When the user makes a copy on A5 landscape paper, a copy operation is started by pressing a print key (not shown).

Further, when the user makes a copy on a B5 vertical sheet, if the user selects a B5 vertical sheet with a paper selection button (not shown), the bottom portion 29a at the raised position as shown in FIG.
8, the transfer paper 15a is separated from the feed roller 16, and in the state shown in FIG. 4 (a), the pinion 27 rotates counterclockwise through the rack 25 formed on the movable tray portion 24. The movable tray section 24 is moved on the rail section 22 to the rear side of the copying machine body, that is, to the position shown in FIG. 4 (b). In this position, the bottom portion 29b is raised by the push-up member 28, and the transfer paper 1
5b comes into contact with the feed roller 16, and the B5 vertical sheet is set in a state where the copying operation is enabled.

Next, an operation of replenishing paper in the movable tray unit 24 will be described with reference to FIG.

When replenishing paper in the movable tray section 24, the front exterior section 21 of the movable tray mounting frame 23 located on the front exterior section 17 of the copier body is pulled out forward (to the right in FIG. 5) to push up. The movable tray 24 whose lifting of the member 28 is released and whose bottom is lowered is pulled out while being placed on the rail 22 of the movable tray placing frame 23. A predetermined transfer sheet can be supplied to each of the transfer sheet mounting sections 32a and 32b of the movable tray section 24 that has been pulled out.

Although the case where the transfer paper of A5 landscape and B5 length is arranged on each transfer paper mounting portion of the movable tray unit of the present invention has been described as an example, the depth dimension of the copying machine main body is about 600 to 700.
mm, and because of the relationship with the amount of movement of the movable tray part, as a combination of transfer papers, the same size, A4 length, A4 length in the same direction, different size, A4 length, B5 length in the same direction, same size, different size Many types such as B5 length and B5 landscape are selected. Further, in a large-sized machine, it goes without saying that the depth of the apparatus body is further increased, and the types of transfer paper combinations that can be placed are increased.

FIGS. 6 to 6 show another embodiment of the sheet feeding device 2 of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

The difference between the first embodiment and the second embodiment is that, as shown in FIGS. 6, 8 (a), (b), and FIG. In addition to a pinion 27 that engages with a rack 25 formed in the movable tray section 24, a front exterior of the copying machine main body can be moved to select a plurality of transfer papers and move to supply the transfer papers. The pinion 27A is arranged near the part 17. At a position where the movable tray portion 24 is pulled out from the front exterior portion 17 of the copying machine main body, an exterior plate 17A pivotally supported at the lower end is provided.

The movable tray unit 24 sets the home position when the transfer sheet placement unit 32a located at the back side of the copying machine main body is at the sheet feeding position, and the home position is detected by the movable tray unit 24.
The shutter 33 formed on the side and the sensor arranged on the copier body side
18 to do. The movable tray unit 24 is driven by a stepping motor (not shown) based on the home position, and the position is controlled by counting pulses.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, a sheet replenishing operation will be described.

First, a paper supply key of an operation unit (not shown) is pressed. Then, the exterior plate 17A pivots forward with the lower end as a pivot point in FIG. 9, and at the same time, the lifting member (not shown) is released, and the bottom is lowered.

Next, when the pinions 27 and 27A rotate clockwise, the movable tray unit 24 is pulled out from the copier front exterior unit 17, and replenishes the transfer paper placement units 32a and 32b of the movable tray unit 24 with paper. (Fig. 9).

When the paper supply is completed and the user presses the paper supply key on the operation unit again, the pinions 27 and 27A rotate counterclockwise by the same amount as when the drawer is pulled out, and the movable tray unit 24 is returned to the home position.

The movable tray unit 24 located at the home position raises the push-up member and raises the bottom of the transfer paper placement unit 32a to enable the transfer paper of the transfer paper placement unit 32a to be transported, and at the same time, the outer plate 17A The movable tray 24 is returned so as to close the passage.

In the paper feeder of the present invention, transfer papers of the same size A5 are placed on the two transfer paper placement sections 32a and 32b of the movable tray section 24 shown in FIGS. Transfer paper loading section 32a
In the short direction of the A5 size transfer paper in parallel with the transport direction (hereinafter referred to as horizontal), and the A5 size transfer paper
The case where the longitudinal direction of the size transfer paper is placed parallel to the transport direction (hereinafter referred to as vertical) (FIG. 10) will be described.

The transfer paper is transferred to the two transfer paper placement sections 32a and 32 of the movable tray section 24.
When placing on the b, side fence 30 and end fence 31
Is moved, the two transfer paper placing portions 32a and 32b can be changed according to the paper size.

The transfer sheet selection switching operation is the same as in the first embodiment. Prior to the copy operation, if the transfer sheet in the paper supply state is inappropriate for copying, the transfer sheet in the non-paper supply state is moved to the position. Need to be replaced.

Therefore, the bottom portion of the transfer paper side in the paper supply state is lowered by the push-up member, and the transfer paper is separated from the feeding roller 16, and then the pinion 27 provided on the shaft of the motor 26 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. The movable tray portion 24 is formed on the movable tray portion 24 and moves leftward on the rail portion 22 from the position shown in FIG. 4A to the position shown in FIG. Then, the transfer sheet of the transfer sheet mounting portion 32b which has been in the non-sheet feeding state in FIG. 4A moves to the sheet feeding position, and the bottom portion 29a is raised by the push-up member 28 to switch to the sheet feeding enabled state. .

As a selection means prior to the copying operation, an automatic document size detection mechanism is arranged in the first scanner of the exposure optical system 7, and when a document is set and a print key is pressed,
The scanner of the exposure optical system 7 is idle scan (pre-scan)
And by the optical sensor of the automatic document size detection mechanism,
The width and length data of the document can be known, and the size of the document can be detected.

Based on this detection result, a transfer sheet suitable for the copy mode is automatically selected, and a copy operation is started.

In this embodiment, when the A5 original is the original copy set in the landscape mode, the transfer paper 15a of the A5 landscape in the paper feeding device shown in FIG.

However, when an A4 original is set vertically, and a reduced copy of 1: 0.71 (area is halved), A5 vertical transfer paper is required. At this time, the copy operation is started by automatically switching the A5 length transfer paper 15b in the non-feed state by the above-described transfer paper switching operation.

In such a copying machine, a display unit 34 for the selected paper size is provided, and, for example, when one type of transfer paper is arranged on each of the three paper feed trays, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, A4 horizontal on the first row, A4 vertical on the second row, B4 on the third row
When each horizontal transfer sheet is stored, it is necessary to display both the size and the direction of the transfer sheet as the status display. The currently selected paper feed stage display 35, paper size display 36, and vertical / horizontal direction display 37 are displayed.

In FIG. 11, the first tray of the paper feed stage is provided with the movable tray portion of the present invention to accommodate A5 landscape and A5 portrait, and the second and third tray portions have B4 landscape, A display means accommodating each transfer paper of B5 length is shown. As a display means 38 of the first stage of the paper feed stage, selection and switching of a transfer paper suitable for copying according to the detection result of the above-mentioned automatic document size detection mechanism. For the switching mechanism for performing the transfer, the state display of the transfer paper is only the size display 36, and the direction display 37 is not required.

As described above, when the transfer papers of the same size are arranged on the movable tray unit of the present invention in different loading directions, only the display of the paper size is sufficient.

〔effect〕

According to the configuration of the present invention, by utilizing the space in the horizontal plane of the main body of the paper feeding device, the transfer papers having the same size and different loading directions are arranged on the transfer paper mounting portion, and the transfer paper transport path is extended. The transfer paper loading portion can be switched to a paper supply position and moved to a paper supply position by a single drive means. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the sheet feeding device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are side views showing a moving position of a movable tray unit when two transfer papers are respectively made to correspond to a feeding roller, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state in which the paper tray is pulled out from the front of the copying machine main body. FIG. 6 is a side view of a second embodiment of the paper feeder of the present invention. FIG. FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b) are side views showing the moving position of the movable tray portion when two transfer papers in the second embodiment are made to correspond to the feed rollers, respectively. FIG. 10 is a side view showing a state in which the movable tray portion in the second embodiment is pulled out from the front surface of the copying machine main body. FIG. 10 is a side view of the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a front view showing an example of a display section of the movable tray section of the present invention, FIG. 12 is a front view showing an example of a conventional paper size display section, FIG. 1A and 1B are schematic cross-sectional views of a copying machine to which a sheet feeding device according to the present invention is applied, respectively, of a sheet feeding unit interior type and a sheet feeding unit exterior type. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Copier main body, 2 ... Paper feeding device, 3 ... Paper feeding table, 15
a, 15b Transfer paper, 16 Feed roller, 22 Rail, 23 Movable tray mounting frame, 24 Movable tray, 25
…… Rack, 26 …… Motor, 27,27A …… Pinion, 32a,
32b… Transfer paper mounting part.

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A paper feed unit which is arranged in a vertical direction in multiple stages and is front-loaded, and a feed roller which feeds a transfer sheet in a direction orthogonal to the loading direction for each of the multi-stage paper feed units. Transfer paper transport means for transporting the transfer paper fed by a feed roller provided for each paper feed unit to the transfer unit via a common transport path; and at least one of the multi-stage paper feed units A plurality of transfer paper mounting portions on the same horizontal plane, and a paper feed position switching movement for horizontally moving the transfer paper stacked on the transfer paper mounting portion in the paper feeding portion so as to face the feed roller. Means, and a paper feeder. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving direction of the transfer paper moved by the paper feed position switching moving means is moved in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the transfer paper is fed by the paper feed roller. The paper feeding device according to claim 1. 3. A transfer means for moving a paper supply unit for replenishing transfer paper on the transfer paper mounting unit, wherein the movement means is shared with the paper supply position switching movement means. The paper feeding device according to claim 2, wherein 4. The transfer paper loaded on the transfer paper placement section of the paper feed section, wherein the transfer papers having the same loading direction and the same size are arranged. The paper feeder according to 2 or 3. 5. A transfer sheet loaded on a transfer sheet placement section of the sheet feeding section, wherein the transfer sheets of the same size are arranged in different loading directions. The paper feeder according to 2 or 3.