JP3189436B2 - Paper transport device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper transporting device for transporting paper (cut paper) in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, and more particularly to an automatic paper removing function when a paper jam occurs. The present invention relates to a sheet conveying device having the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, in a paper transport apparatus, if a paper jam occurs for some reason during transportation, the next paper is transported unless the operator removes the paper each time. Can not do.

By the way, in a printer or the like which performs a large amount of processing at a high speed, once the processing is started, the processing is stopped in a non-stop manner.
I often keep printing for hours. Therefore, when a paper jam occurs, the operator sometimes replenishes the paper. However, when a paper jam occurs,
If there is paper that extends between the paper supply unit (paper supply cassette) and the transport path, pulling out the paper supply cassette may damage the paper.

[0004] Conventionally, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 1-172540 (paper transporting apparatus) discloses a paper transporting device in which a paper jam occurs when a paper jam occurs so that the paper does not stop at a connecting location such as between a paper feeding unit and a transporting path. The located paper is pushed out to the downstream unit.

[0005]

However, according to the technique disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 1-172540, the paper conveyed to the downstream side is stopped because the conveying roller on the downstream side is stopped.
This makes it more susceptible to damage. Therefore, the operator needs to remove the damaged paper.
In such a case, there is no problem with the technique disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 1-172540, as long as the apparatus removes all sheets in the apparatus. However, in recent years, when a paper jam has occurred, only the paper that caused the paper jam is removed by the operator, but other papers are automatically conveyed to the discharge section and automatically removed by restarting the operation of the apparatus (automatic removal). Purge) type devices are common. In this type of apparatus, Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No.
In the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H10-209, there is a problem that the auto-purge cannot be performed due to the damaged paper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to limit the free drawing-out of components that can be pulled out when a paper jam or the like occurs during paper transport and the apparatus stops. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet transport device capable of executing an auto purge without damaging a sheet extending between a component and the apparatus body.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a paper transporting apparatus which can automatically pull out a component that can be pulled out when it is absolutely necessary to pull out the component, if necessary. .

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A paper transport path from a paper supply section to a paper discharge section, and a paper transport apparatus having a component that can be pulled out of the apparatus main body in a direction orthogonal to or along the transport direction of the transport direction of the paper transport path, A lock mechanism for restricting the component from being pulled out of the apparatus main body, and detecting a sheet present over a connecting portion between the component and the paper transport path on the apparatus main body side when the apparatus stops during sheet conveyance. Detecting means and, when the apparatus stops during paper transport,
Judgment means for judging whether the cause is a paper jam, and this judgment
Means is determined to be due to a paper jam, and
A connecting portion between the above-described component and the paper transport path by a detecting unit.
Paper is detected, and this paper may cause a paper jam.
And control means for controlling the lock mechanism to be in an operative state when the sheet is different from the sheet causing the change.

[0009]

[0010]

In this paper transport apparatus, when the apparatus is stopped halfway and the cause is a paper jam, paper is present over the connecting portion between the drawable component and the paper transport path on the apparatus body side. In addition, the lock mechanism is operated only when the sheet is not the sheet that caused the paper jam, and the pulling out of this component is restricted. If the paper straddling the connection between the drawable component and the paper transport path on the apparatus body side is a paper that caused a paper jam, the lock mechanism is not activated, and the operator can use the paper. The paper that caused the jam can be removed.

Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet transport path from a sheet supply section to a sheet discharge section, and a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the sheet transport path or a direction along the transport direction. A lock mechanism for restricting the withdrawal of the component from the apparatus main body, a lock release instructing unit for instructing release of the operation of the lock mechanism, and Detecting means for detecting a sheet present over the connecting portion between the above-mentioned components and the sheet conveying path on the side of the apparatus main body, and determining whether the cause is a paper jam when the apparatus is stopped during sheet conveyance. And a sheet straddling the connecting portion between the component and the sheet conveying path by the detecting means. The lock mechanism is controlled to be activated when the sheet is different from the sheet that caused the paper jam, and when the unlock instruction is given by the unlock instruction means, the sheet transport path is controlled. And a control unit for controlling to release the lock mechanism after all the sheets in the sheet are discharged to the sheet discharge unit.

[0013] In this sheet conveying device, The device of claim 1, the lock release instruction means for instructing the release of the operation of the lock mechanism is provided, thereby when instructed unlocking sheet transport path Is discharged to the paper discharge section and the automatic purge is executed, and then the lock mechanism is released. This allows the operator to freely pull out the component.

[0014]

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

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the drawing of the copying machine main body 1, a paper feed unit 2 is provided on the right side. The paper 11 sent out from the paper feed unit 2 is transported along a transport path 12a and further along a transport path 12b on the main body 1 side, and the photosensitive drum 1
3 transfers an image. After the image is further fixed on the sheet 11 after the transfer by the fixing device 14 including the pressure roller 14a and the heating roller 14b, the image is discharged to the discharge trays 15a and 15b of the stacker unit 3. . A reversing unit R is provided on the copying machine main body 1 side, and the sheet 11 on which an image is formed on one side is reversed along a reversing conveyance path 12c, and the sheet 11 is guided again to the upstream side of the photosensitive drum 13; Further, an image can be formed on the other surface.

The paper supply section 2 is composed of a plurality of, for example, three paper cassettes 16a to 16c. The paper 3 is taken out from the paper feed cassettes 16a to 16c by the feed belt 40 and the paper feed rollers 17a to 17c, respectively, and then sent out to the main body 1 along the transport path 12a by the transport rollers 18a to 18c. Conveying rollers 19a, 19
b, 19c, 19d, and 19e are provided, respectively. The reversing conveyance path 12c is provided with a conveyance roller 20a, a reversing roller 21, and conveyance rollers 20b, 20c, and 20d. Each of these rollers can release the nip pressure by an opening mechanism composed of a solenoid (not shown).

When the fixing device 14 is stopped, the pressure roller 14a is opened by an opening mechanism (not shown) including a cam and a solenoid.
The nip pressure between the heating roller 14b and the heating roller 14b is released. At the time of startup, there is no conveyance force until the nip is carried out, and the fixing cannot be performed. The paper path 27 between the fixing device 14 and the transport roller 19d has a paper sensor 27 and a transport path 12c.
Are provided with paper sensors 28, respectively. Also,
A paper discharge sensor 29 is provided at the entrance on the stacker unit 3 side, and a paper sensor 30 is provided near the reversing roller 21 of the reversing conveyance path 12c.
Are arranged respectively. These paper sensors 27-3
Numerals 0 detect the leading end of the sheet 11 and switch from the off state to the on state, and switch from the on state to the off state when the trailing end of the sheet 11 passes.

The paper feed rollers 17a to 17 of the paper feed section 2
paper sensors 31a to 31
c is provided to automatically detect the feeding of the sheet 11. A paper sensor 32 is provided on the downstream side of the transport roller 18c, and detects the carry-in of the paper 11 from the paper supply unit 2 to the main body 1 side. The paper 11
Sheet sensors 31a to 31
Each time c is changed from the off state to the on state, each sheet is counted by a counter (not shown), and is incremented by one each time one sheet is fed from the sheet feeding unit 2. When the paper 11 has passed through the paper sensor 32,
Each time the paper sensor 32 is turned off from the on state, the count value of the counter is decremented by one.

The discharge trays 15a, 15b of the stacker section 3
A non-paper discharge tray 26 is provided below the printer. A transport path 12d is provided above the discharge tray 15a, and transport rollers 22a and 22b are provided along the transport path 12d. A transport belt 24 wound around rollers 23a and 23b is disposed on the side of the discharge trays 15a and 15b and the non-paper discharge tray 26, and the gate 25a is used to transfer the paper 11 transported along the transport path 12d. The paper is discharged to one of the discharge trays 15a and 15b and the non-paper discharge tray 26 by switching the 25b.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show an enlarged view of the configuration near the paper feed cassette 16a in the copying machine.
The paper 11 is fed one by one from a paper feed cassette 16a by a feed belt 40 driven in a direction indicated by an arrow by a driving roller 41a and an idler roller 41b, passes through a paper sensor 31a, and is fed into a transport path 12a by a transport roller 17a. Is transported. The paper feed cassette 16a is positioned at a position perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG.
It can be pulled out in the direction.

A lock mechanism 42 is provided on the far side (right side in FIG. 3) in the pulling-out direction of the paper feed cassette 16a. The lock mechanism 42 includes a link member 43 rotatable about a shaft 44 and a lock solenoid 45 connected to a base end of the link member 43. A locking portion 43a is provided at the tip of the link member 43. When the locking solenoid 45 is turned on, the locking portion 43a engages with the upper end of the side wall of the paper feeding cassette 16a as shown by a solid line in FIG. The free drawer of the cassette 16a in the direction of arrow a is restricted (locked). Further, when the lock solenoid 45 is turned off, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. They are separated and the locked state is released. The lock solenoid 45 is turned on when the sheet conveyance is being performed normally, and the lock mechanism 42 is activated. When the sheet conveyance is normally completed and the drive unit of the apparatus is stopped, the lock solenoid 45 is turned off.
Is to be released. The above configuration is the same for the sheet cassettes 16b and 16c.

FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the control unit of the sheet transport device of the present embodiment.

This control unit is a CPU (central processing unit) 50
It has. The CPU 50 is connected to each unit of the apparatus via a bus 51. Among them, a ROM (read only memory) 52 stores a program for controlling the operation of each unit of the apparatus. Input port 53
Are paper sensors 27-30, paper feed cassettes 16a-16c
, A lock release button 55 provided on an operation panel (not shown) for releasing the operation of the lock mechanism 42 in FIG. 3, and the paper discharge sensor 2
9 is an interface for sending a detection signal of each section to the CPU 50. The output port 54 outputs the control signal sent from the CPU 50 to each of a feed belt drive motor 56 for driving the feed belt 40, a transport roller drive motor 57 for driving the transport rollers of each section, and a lock solenoid 45. Interface for

When the CPU 50 receives the detection signals of the paper sensors 27 to 30 and 31a to 31c during the transport of the paper 11 and determines that a paper jam has occurred, the feed belt drive motor 56 and the transport roller The drive motor 57 is stopped to stop the apparatus. At this time, the sheet 11 is present on the sheet sensors 31a to 31c in the vicinity of the sheet cassettes 16a to 16c of the copying machine main body 1 and the sheet causing the paper jam is present. 11 is a paper sensor 31a to 31
If not, the lock solenoid 45 is kept in the ON state so that the sheet cassettes 36a to 16c cannot be unnecessarily pulled out of the copying machine body 1.

That is, when the paper 11 is present on the paper sensors 31a to 31c, the paper cassettes 16a to 16c
Paper feed cassette 16a
16c and the copying machine body 1 are prevented from being damaged. However, the paper 11 causing the paper jam is detected by the paper sensors 31a to 31a.
1c, the paper feed cassettes 16a to 16c
If c cannot be pulled out, the paper jammed paper 11 cannot be removed, so the lock solenoid 45 is turned off to allow pulling out.

In some cases, even when the lock mechanism 42 is in operation, it may be necessary to pull out the sheet cassettes 16a to 16c. In such a case, when the lock release button 55 is pressed, the CPU 50 drives the transport roller drive motor 57 to execute the auto purge, and the paper 1
After removing 1 from the transport path, the transport roller drive motor 57 is stopped, and the lock solenoid 45 is turned off to release the lock.

Next, the operation of the paper transport apparatus having the above configuration will be described.

In a normal single-sided copy, the paper 11 supplied from the paper feed cassettes 16a to 16c of the paper feed unit 2 is fed to the paper feed rollers 17a to 17c and the transport rollers 1a.
The sheet is conveyed into the main body 1 along the conveyance path 12a by 8a to 18c. The sheet 11 conveyed into the main body 1 is conveyed along a conveyance path 12b by conveyance rollers 19a to 19c, and an image is transferred and recorded on the photosensitive drum 13.
After the transferred image is thermally fixed in the fixing device 14,
The sheet is sent to the stacker unit 3 by the transfer rollers 19d and 19e along the transfer path 12b. The sheet 11 sent out to the stacker unit 3 is transported along the transport path 12d by transport rollers 22a and 2a.
The discharge tray 15 is transported by the transport belt 2b and further opened by the transport belt 24 via the gate portions 25a and 25b.
a, 15b. Gate part 25a,
When both 25b are in the closed state, the paper 11 is stored in the non-paper discharge tray 26.

In the case of double-sided copying, after the image of the paper 11 is fixed in the fixing device 14,
c, is transported along the transport roller 20a, the reversing roller 21, and the transport rollers 20b to 20d.
The sheet is returned to the upstream side of 9c, and then transported and discharged as in the case of the one-sided copy.

Next, during such sheet conveyance,
The operation when a paper jam has occurred will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

The CPU 50 includes paper sensors 27 to 30, 31
When a paper jam (jam) is detected based on the detection signals from a to 31c (FIG. 5, step S100), it is determined whether the paper 11 is present on the paper sensors 31a to 31c near the paper feed cassettes 16a to 16c. A determination is made (step S101).
As a result, when the paper 11 is on the paper sensors 31a to 31c (Y), it is determined whether the paper that caused the paper jam (caused jam) is outside the vicinity of the paper sensors 31a to 31c, ie, It is determined whether the paper 11 on the paper sensors 31a to 31c is a paper that has caused a paper jam (step S102). As a determination method, for example, when the paper 11 passes through the paper sensors 31a to 31c, if each sensor remains on for a certain period of time or more, the paper 11 is determined to be a paper that has caused a paper jam. Alternatively, when the paper 11 does not arrive without the paper sensors 31a to 31c being turned on for a certain period of time or longer, there is a method of using the paper 11 as a paper that has caused a paper jam.

If the result of the determination is that the paper causing the paper jam is not on the paper sensors 31a to 31c, the CPU
In order to operate the lock mechanism 42, the lock solenoid 45 is kept on (step S10).
3). Subsequently, the feed belt 40 and the transport roller 17a are stopped by turning off the feed belt drive motor 56 and the transport roller drive motor 57 (step S104). Therefore, in this state, the operator cannot pull out the paper feed cassettes 16a to 16c, thereby preventing the normal paper 11 on the paper sensors 31a to 31c from being damaged. In step S101, the sheet 11 is detected by the sheet sensors 31a to 31a.
1c (step S101;
In N), the CPU 50 turns off the lock solenoid 45, releases the locked state, and then turns off the feed belt drive motor 56 and the transport roller drive motor 57, thereby stopping the feed belt 40, the transport rollers 17a, and the like (step). S104). Therefore, in this state, the operator can pull out the paper feed cassettes 16a to 16c, and can execute operations such as replenishment of the paper 11.

On the other hand, the CPU 50
Is monitored to see if it is pressed (FIG. 6, step S
200), when the lock release button 55 is depressed (step S200; Y), after the paper 11 causing the paper jam is removed, the automatic purge is executed. That is, the transport operation is restarted, and another sheet 11 is transported to the discharge section (step S201). When the discharge of the sheet 11 is completed (Step S202; Y), the automatic purging is completed (Step S203), and then the lock solenoid 45 is turned off (Step S204). Therefore, in this state, the operator is free to freely feed the paper cassettes 16a to 16a.
16c can be withdrawn.

The present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments.
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be variously changed without changing the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the paper feed cassettes 16a to 16c are locked when a paper jam occurs has been described. However, components other than the paper feed cassettes 16a to 16c that can be pulled out from the copying machine main body 1, for example, one point in FIG. As shown by a chain line, a portion A including the transport rollers 20b to 20d may be configured to be able to be pulled out from the copying machine main body 1, and a lock mechanism 42 may be provided at this portion. Also,
In the above embodiment, the paper feed cassettes 16a to 16c which can be pulled out in a direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction have been described as an example. However, the paper feed cassettes 16a to 16c can be pulled out to the rear along the paper transport direction. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to a copying machine having the above configuration.

[0035]

As described above, according to the paper transport apparatus of the first aspect, the apparatus stops halfway, and the cause is the paper transport.
In the case of clogging, components that can be pulled out and
Paper spans the connection to the paper transport path on the machine body
Exists, and this paper has caused a paper jam.
Activate lock mechanism only when not paper
Therefore, the pull-out component and paper transport on the machine body side
Paper that straddles the connection to the road may cause paper jams.
If the paper is correct, the lock mechanism can be activated.
Operator removes paper that caused a paper jam
can do.

[0036]

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper transporting device which includes unlocking instruction means for instructing the release of the operation of the lock mechanism. After all the sheets have been discharged to the sheet discharge section and the auto purge has been executed, the lock mechanism is released, so that the operator can freely pull out the constituent parts and supply the sheets.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an overall configuration of a sheet conveying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration in the vicinity of a paper feed cassette of the paper transport device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a lock mechanism for the sheet cassette of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit of the sheet transport device of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the paper transport device of FIG. 1 when a paper jam occurs.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the paper transport device of FIG. 1 at the time of unlocking;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Copier main body, 2 ... Paper feeding part, 13 ... Photoconductor drum, 1
6a to 16c: paper feed cassette, 42: lock mechanism, 45
... lock solenoid, 50 ... CPU (central processing unit).

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65H ^7/ 00-7/20 B65H 1/00-3/68

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An apparatus has a paper transport path from a paper supply section to a paper discharge section, and a component that can be pulled out of the apparatus main body in a direction orthogonal to or along the transport direction of the paper transport path. In the paper transport apparatus, a lock mechanism for restricting the drawing out of the component from the apparatus main body, and when the apparatus stops in the middle of the paper transport, the locking mechanism exists across a connection portion between the component and the paper transport path on the apparatus main body side. Detection means to detect paper jams, and when the machine stops during paper transport, the cause is a paper jam.
Determining means for determining whether or not a paper jam has occurred due to a paper jam; and
And the detecting unit detects a difference between the component and the sheet conveying path.
Paper that has straddled the connection is detected, and this paper
Control means for controlling the lock mechanism to be activated when the sheet is different from the sheet causing the jam. 2. A paper transport path from a paper supply section to a paper discharge section, and a component portion that can be pulled out of the apparatus main body in a direction orthogonal to or along a transport direction of the paper transport path. In the paper transport apparatus, a lock mechanism for restricting the withdrawal of the component from the apparatus main body, and a lock release instruction for releasing the operation of the lock mechanism
Means for detecting a sheet present over the connecting portion between the above-mentioned components and the sheet conveying path of the apparatus main body when the apparatus stops during the sheet conveyance, and when the apparatus stops during the sheet conveyance. Determining means for determining whether the cause is a paper jam; determining that the paper jam is a cause by the determining means;
The detecting means detects a sheet straddling the connecting portion between the component and the sheet transport path, and when the sheet is different from the sheet causing the paper jam, the lock mechanism is activated. Control and the lock
Use when unlock instruction is given by unlock instruction means
After discharging all the paper in the paper transport path to the paper discharge section,
Control means for controlling to release the lock mechanism .