JP3150360B2 - Sorter tray moving mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sorter tray moving mechanism for sequentially distributing sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine to a plurality of trays.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A sorter is for sequentially distributing sheets discharged from a copying machine or the like to each of a plurality of trays.

In order to reduce the size of the sorter, the vertical interval between a plurality of trays is reduced, and when a sheet is fed from the sheet guide means to the tray, a predetermined tray is moved to enlarge the space above the sheet receiving tray. There is something that I did.

Conventionally, as a tray moving mechanism for enlarging the space above such a paper receiving tray, engaging members protruding from the tray are provided at both end portions on the front end side of the tray, and a recess into which one of the engaging members is inserted. Is provided. Then, with the rotation of the rotating member, a predetermined engaging member is engaged with the concave portion at one end side, then moved to the other end side, and the engaging member is detached at the other end side.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional tray moving mechanism, the diameter of the rotating member is set to be much larger than the moving pitch of the engaging member, and the engaging of the concave member of the rotating member of the engaging member of the tray is performed.・ Position of each other when leaving is not good.

Therefore, there is a problem in that the engagement and disengagement of the engaging member with respect to the concave portion are not performed smoothly, and the diameter of the rotating member is much larger than the moving pitch of the engaging member, resulting in an increase in size of the apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a tray moving mechanism for moving a tray by engaging, moving, and disengaging an engaging member provided on the tray with a rotating member so that the engaging member can be smoothly engaged and disengaged from the rotating member. Another object of the present invention is to provide a sorter tray moving mechanism in which the size of the apparatus is reduced by making the diameter of the rotating member substantially equal to the moving pitch of the engaging member.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a multi-stage tray for storing sheets discharged from the main body of an image forming apparatus, and protrudes from both side ends of the tray. An engaging member, one of the engaging members is moved from one end side to the other end side, the rotating member provided with at least two concave portions in which the engaging member enters the outer periphery, at least the rotating member A first radius portion having a length equal to or greater than a radius; and a second radius portion having a length equal to or less than the radius of the rotating member provided with the concave portion. An eccentric member provided coaxially with the rotating member so that a radius portion is simultaneously located in the concave portion, and when the concave portion is stopped at predetermined positions on the one end side and the other end side, the eccentric member By rotating the engagement member, the engagement member on the one end side is It engaged with the, and is configured to disengage the engaging member of the other end side from the recess.

[0009]

According to the present invention, when the concave portion of the rotating member is stopped at a predetermined position on one end and the other end, the eccentric member is driven to rotate so that the engaging member on one end is engaged with the concave portion and the other end is engaged. Is disengaged from the recess.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<Structure> In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body of an image forming apparatus, for example, a copying machine, 2 denotes a mounting table, and 3 denotes a sorter connected to the copying machine 1.

Reference numeral 4 denotes an inlet roller for carrying the paper discharged from the copying machine 1 into the sorter 3. A plurality of trays 5 are arranged on the sorter 3 with a close interval therebetween.

A tray 5 is provided at both ends of the front end of each sorter 3.
An engagement member 6 is further protruded, is engaged and supported by support slits 8a, 8b formed vertically on the frame 7, and is movable between the support slits 8 formed vertically.

The engaging member 6 of the lowermost tray 5 has a rope 9
And is urged upward by the take-up roller 10. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a rotating member 11 that moves the engaging member 6 from one end to the other end along the support slit 8 is provided. A concave portion 12 that engages the engaging member 6 at one end and separates the engaging member 6 at the other end is provided at a position 180 degrees opposite to the outer periphery of the rotating member 11.
a and 12b are provided.

An eccentric member 14 is provided on the same shaft 13 as the rotating member 11. The eccentric member 14 includes a first radial portion 14a having a length equal to or greater than the radius of the rotating member 11 and a second portion 14b having a length equal to or less than half the radius of the rotating member. The portion 14a and the second portion 14b are simultaneously formed in the recess 12a of the rotating member 11,
12b.

A driving unit for transmitting a driving force to the rotating member 11 and the eccentric member 14 has a driving wheel 15 having two convex arc-shaped engaging portions 15a and two engaging pins 15b. And a driven wheel 16 that engages with the convex arc-shaped engaging portion 15a of the driving wheel 15 and is intermittently driven twice for one rotation of the driving wheel 15, and a winding that connects the driven wheel 16 and the eccentric member 14. A member 17, a driven Geneva gear 18 that engages with the engagement pin 15 b of the driving wheel 15 and intermittently follows one rotation of the driving wheel 15, a driven Geneva gear 18 and the rotating member 1.
1 and a wrapping member 19 connecting the first member 1 and the second member 1.

The rotation of the driven wheel 16 and the driven Geneva gear 18 is transmitted to the rotating member 11 and the eccentric member 14 at double speed.

The driving control described so far is based on CP
U or other control means (not shown).

<Operation> The apparatus configured as described above
It works as follows.

The copied paper is continuously sent from the copying machine 1 to the sorter 3. The paper is distributed to the uppermost tray 5 of the support slit 8b. The space above the paper receiving tray 5 is enlarged substantially by the diameter of the rotating member 11 (see FIG. 1).

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the prime mover 15 and the driven Geneva gear 18 move. As a result, as shown in FIG.
The first concave portion 12a is engaged.

Next, the rotating member 11 and the eccentric member 14
The engagement member 6 is moved to the other end by rotating integrally by 0 degrees. Next, the rotating member 11 stops in that state,
The eccentric member 14 is driven to cause the next engagement member 6 on one end side to engage with the concave portion 12b of the rotating member 11 and to disengage the engaging member 6 on the other end side from the concave portion 12a of the rotating member 11.

By this operation, the tray at one end is sequentially moved to the paper receiving position at the other end.

<Effects of Embodiment> According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. The engaging members 6 and the concave portions 12a, 12a, 1
The engagement / disengagement can be performed smoothly because the positional relationship of 2b is good. Further, since the diameter of the rotating member 11 is substantially the same as the moving pitch of the tray 5, the size of the apparatus can be reduced.

[0025]

According to the present invention described above, the following effects can be obtained. The engagement and disengagement of the engaging member with respect to the concave portion of the rotating member can be performed smoothly. Further, since the engagement and disengagement of the engagement member can be performed smoothly, the diameter of the rotating member can be made substantially the same as the movement pitch of the tray, and the apparatus can be downsized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an entire embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a part of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an operation state diagram of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an operation state diagram of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copier 3 Sorter 5 Tray 6 Engaging member 11 Rotary member 12a concave part 12b concave part 14 Eccentric member 14a First part 14b Second part 15 Follower wheel 15a Convex arc-shaped engaging part 15b engaging pin 16 Follower wheel 17 Member 18 driven Geneva gear 19 winding member

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of trays for storing sheets ejected from a main body of the image forming apparatus; an engaging member protruding from both side ends of the tray; A rotating member having at least two concave portions on its outer periphery into which the engaging member enters, a first radius portion having a length at least equal to the radius of the rotating member, A second radius portion having a length equal to or less than the radius of the rotating member provided with a concave portion, wherein the first radial portion and the second radius portion are simultaneously positioned in the concave portion. An eccentric member provided coaxially, and when the concave portion is stopped at a predetermined position on the one end side and the other end side, the eccentric member is rotated to drive the engagement member on the one end side. Engage with the recess, and disengage the engagement member at the other end from the recess. A tray moving device for a sorter.