JP3317514B2 - Electrophotographic equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus such as a laser printer and a digital copying machine capable of forming an image on an envelope or the like by an electrophotographic method.

[0002]

In the case of the Related Art Generally, Hiroshi envelopes flap fa envelope Pf, as shown in FIG. 12 are packed (sold) in a closed state as shown in phantom.

For this reason, when the envelope is fed while the flap is closed, an image such as an address is transferred to the envelope, and the envelope is discharged onto a discharge tray with the flap closed. However, since a flap must be opened when a letter or the like is put in the envelope later, when an image forming process such as addressing is performed on a large number of envelopes, the subsequent work is difficult.

If an envelope with the flap closed as described above is fed, for example, in the direction of arrow K in FIG. 12 and an address or the like is to be printed at a predetermined position on the front of the envelope,
Since the overlapped portion of the paper increases in the portion where the flap fa is closed, the flap fa slips at the portion due to a small coefficient of friction between the papers, causing wrinkles, thereby easily forming an air layer. When an image is transferred in such a state, a transfer omission or an image shift is likely to occur.

[0005] Therefore, conventionally, in order to prevent such inconvenience, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-139443, for example, the top sheet and the bottom sheet are separated by setting the leading end side in the sheet feeding direction to the folding line side. A window portion in which an openable / closable paper-passing carrier is formed and an envelope is inserted between the two sheets when an image is formed on the envelope, and the paper surface on which the image is to be formed is formed on the upper sheet. (A copy space), and other envelope portions around it are sandwiched between an upper sheet and a lower sheet to prevent wrinkles.

[0006]

However, when an envelope is fed using such an openable / closable paper-passing carrier, the upper sheet is opened and closed each time the sheet is fed, and the gap between the upper sheet and the lower sheet is increased. When the number of envelopes is large, it is troublesome and troublesome since the user has to insert the envelope into the paper and hold it.

In view of this, it is conceivable to open the flaps of all envelopes in advance and continuously feed the sheets in that state . In this case, when the envelopes are fed in the direction of arrow M in FIG. The position of the envelope bottom fb, which is one side edge in the paper width direction orthogonal to the paper direction, is regulated by the side fence 45, and the other side edge is regulated by the side fence 46 at the edge of the flap fa. However, the original center line Lc of the envelope may deviate from the center line Ltc of the tray, and the image of the address or the like may be displaced from the normal position where the envelope is to be printed.

Further, when the envelope is discharged onto the paper discharge tray with the flap fa opened as described above, when the envelope is discharged onto the paper discharge tray, the flap is moved downward. If the weight of the entire envelope is supported, the open flaps may close again. In such a case, the user has to open it, which is troublesome, and the envelopes are liable to be stuck on the tray. The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has as its object to minimize the occurrence of wrinkles that are easily generated when printing on an envelope. It is another object of the present invention to prevent transfer omission caused by the effect of the wrinkle and to prevent a position of an image from being shifted from a predetermined position. Further, it is another object of the present invention to prevent the flap from being closed on the paper discharge tray for an envelope on which an image is formed and discharged with the flap opened .
You.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems] In this invention to achieve the above object, Oite the electrophotographic apparatus as described above,
The manual feed tray for setting envelopes when feeding paper is formed by a pair of trays that can approach and separate from each other in the paper width direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction, and the side opposite to the flap of the envelope set in one of the trays the side fences for regulating the position of the edge is provided, providing a mark for aligning the flap folding line of the envelope to the side fence and symmetrical positions with respect to the center line of the envelope to close the flaps on the upper surface of the other of the tray It is a thing. Further, it is effective to arrange the paper discharge tray in the electrophotographic apparatus at an angle so that the flap of the envelope discharged to the tray is positioned higher than the bottom of the envelope opposite to the flap. It is.

[0010]

According to the electrophotographic apparatus configured as described above , the sealing is performed.
If the side edge opposite to the flap of the cylinder is in contact with the side fence and the position of the flap bending line is set according to the mark on the upper surface of the other tray, the image can be fed even with the flap open. Can be transferred without shifting to a regular position. If the position of the paper ejection tray is inclined such that the flap of the envelope discharged to the tray is located higher than the bottom of the envelope opposite to the flap, the flap is formed after the image is formed. The envelope discharged onto the discharge tray in the opened state does not add the weight of the entire envelope to the flap side, so that the flap does not close .

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. First , a copying machine, which is an electrophotographic apparatus similar in basic configuration to the electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention, is used.
The electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention will be described later.
explain about. Copying machine which is the electrophotographic apparatus shown in FIG.
Is capable of forming an image on an envelope Pf having a flap fa and discharging the image onto a paper output tray 16. A contact glass 2 is disposed on an upper portion of a copying machine main body 1, and a document set thereon is set. D is irradiated by the exposure lamp 4 of the scanning optical system 3, and the reflected light from the image surface is charged on the surface of the drum-shaped photosensitive member 6 which is charged by the charging charger 5 and rotates in the direction of arrow A in FIG. To form an electrostatic latent image. A developing unit 7 for developing an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member 6 with toner and a toner developed by the developing unit 7 are provided around a photoreceptor 6 disposed substantially at the center of the copying machine body 1. A transfer charger 8 for transferring an image to an envelope such as an envelope Pf, an eraser lamp 9, a separation charger 11, a cleaning unit 12, and the like are provided. The photoreceptor 6 forms a photoreceptor layer on the surface, and the surface thereof is uniformly charged by passing through the eraser lamp 9 and the charging charger 5,
Upon receiving image exposure from the scanning optical system 3, an electrostatic latent image is formed on its surface.

On the other hand, an envelope Pf to which an image is transferred (which may be a transfer material such as a normal transfer paper) is fed leftward in FIG. Is transported at a timing adjusted by a pair of registration rollers 13, and an image is transferred thereto at an image transfer unit provided with a transfer charger 8, and thereafter, is separated from the photoreceptor 6 by a separation charger 11, and the belt is removed. The sheet is conveyed to the fixing device 21 by the used conveying device 19. Then, the envelope Pf on which the image is fixed is discharged onto the discharge tray 16 by the pair of discharge rollers 22 as it is. The copying machine also includes a flap fa of the envelope Pf in a state where the flap fa is closed (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3).
The flap opening mechanism 20 is provided upstream of the sheet discharge tray 16 and downstream of the fixing device 21.

The flap opening mechanism 20 includes an opening lever 23, a solenoid 24 and a spring 2 as shown in FIG.
5, a stopper 26, and the like. The opening lever 23 has a substantially center portion pivotally supported by a pin, and has an acute-angled claw portion 23a at one end. A spring 25 is attached to the other end of the release lever 23, and the entire lever is always shown by an arrow B by the urging force.
And a part of the lever is regulated by abutment on the stopper 26, and a long hole 23b is formed close to the mounting position of the spring 25. A pin fixed to the movable shaft of the solenoid 24 is movably fitted therein.

Accordingly, when the solenoid 24 is in the off state, the release lever 23 is oscillated in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 1 by the urging force of the spring 25, and the claw portion 23a contacts the stopper 26 in FIG. Is turned to the retracted position, and when it is turned on, it swings in the direction opposite to the arrow B against the urging force of the spring 25, and the claw portion 23a comes into contact with the envelope Pf conveyed on the conveyance path 15 The position is indicated by a virtual line. Immediately after the fixing device 21 shown in FIG. 1, a sensor 28 (for example, a reflection type photo sensor) for detecting an envelope such as an envelope heading to the paper discharge roller 22 is provided. Further, in this copying machine, the paper discharge tray 16 is arranged so as to be inclined such that the flap fa of the envelope Pf discharged there is higher than the envelope bottom fb on the side opposite to the flap fa as shown in FIG. are doing.

In this copying machine, the envelope P packed with the flap fa closed as shown by a phantom line in FIG.
When an image such as an address is formed on f, the envelope is stored in the sheet cassette 27 shown in FIG. In this apparatus, the paper feeding direction of the envelope Pf is indicated by an arrow C in FIG.
Set so that it is in the direction. When a start button (not shown) is pressed to start copying, the envelope P
f is fed to the left in FIG. 2 with the flap closed as described above, an image is formed at a predetermined position on the paper surface, and the sheet leaves the fixing device 21. Then, as shown in FIG.
The sensor 28 detects the leading end of the envelope Pf, and after a predetermined time, the solenoid 24 operates (turns on). Therefore, the opening lever 23 of the flap opening mechanism 20 swings in the direction opposite to the arrow B, and the claw portion 23a comes into contact with the back sheet Pba (FIG. 3) other than the flap fa of the envelope Pf, and the envelope P
f continues to be transported to the left in the same figure,
The claw portion 23a enters the lower side of the flap fa as shown by a virtual line in FIG. 4, and the flap fa is opened in the direction of arrow E.

The tip of the claw portion 23a is an envelope Pf
Shortly before reaching the flap bending line Lbe (see also FIG. 3), the solenoid 24 is turned off. Therefore, the release lever 23 returns to the position shown by the solid line in FIG.
The flap fa is substantially opened. In this state,
When the envelope Pf is conveyed to the left in FIG. 4 and the flap fa is sandwiched between the nips of the paper discharge rollers 22 and discharged as shown in FIG. 5, the flap fa passes through the rollers to make the flap fa in FIG. As shown by the solid line, the envelope is completely opened, and in this state, the envelope is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 16 from the side of the envelope bottom fb as shown in FIG. Although not shown in each drawing, for example, if another flap opening mechanism 20 is provided at a target position (below the envelope) across the transport path 15 in FIG. Even when the envelope Pf is fed with the flap fa facing down, the flap fa can be opened.

As described above, in this copying machine , the flap is opened by the flap opening mechanism 20 after the image is fixed on the envelope, so that the envelope can be easily transported, and the opening lever 23 comes into contact with the image on the envelope. Even if there is a case, the image is already fixed and no image shift or the like occurs. Since the envelope is discharged onto the paper output tray 16 with the flap opened, it is not necessary to open the flap when a letter or the like is inserted into the envelope thereafter, so that a large amount of mail or the like is sent out. You can save a lot of trouble when doing it.
Further, when the envelope passes through the paper discharge roller 22, the flap is in an open state, and when passing through it, the paper overlaps and the paper is discharged in a state where there is no portion that is easily displaced. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of wrinkles that are likely to occur when passing through the rollers.

Further, the position of the paper discharge tray 16 and the paper discharge rollers 22 for discharging the envelopes on the paper discharge tray 16 are defined by the paper discharge tray 1.
6, the trays are tilted so that the flap fa of the envelope Pf discharged to the tray 6 is higher than the envelope bottom fb on the opposite side of the flap. As shown in FIG. 5, the envelope Pf discharged onto the paper discharge tray 16 with the flap fa open is not added with the weight of the entire envelope on the flap fa side. There is no such thing as closing. In the case where the sheet is ejected such that the flap fa is positioned at the rear end side in the sheet ejection direction as shown in FIG. 5, regardless of whether the sheet is face-up sheet ejection (image surface is upward) or face-down sheet ejection. The flap fa does not close.

When the paper discharge tray 16 is arranged in the posture shown in FIG. 6, the envelope Pf is placed on the flap fa.
Is the leading end in the sheet discharging direction, and the paper is fed so that the envelope bottom fb is on the trailing end. In this way, face-up,
Regardless of face-down, the envelope bottom fb is always below the flap fa on the paper discharge tray 16.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example of a copying machine in which the tray surface of the paper discharge tray 16 is inclined with respect to the axis of the paper discharge roller 22. In this case, the envelope Pf is not used. Paper is fed in the direction indicated by the arrow F in FIG. Even in this case, the duplication of FIGS.
As in the case of the copying machine , the envelope bottom fb can be positioned below the flap fa on the paper discharge tray 16, so that
The flap fa does not close.

Next, one embodiment of the electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention will be described.
An example will be described. FIG. 9 is an electrophotograph according to the present invention.
FIG . 10 is an overall configuration diagram showing a copying machine as an embodiment of the apparatus .
3 is a plan view showing a manual feed tray and an envelope provided in the copying machine, and portions corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. This copier, as shown in FIG.
The paper feed path from the paper feed cassette 27 is branched to form a manual paper feed path 31, and a manual tray 32 (envelope feeder) for setting the envelope Pf at the time of paper feeding is provided at the entrance of the manual paper feed path 31. are doing. Then, the manual feed tray 32 is formed by a pair of trays 33 and 34 which can approach and separate from each other as shown in FIG.
3 is provided with a side fence 35 for regulating the position of an envelope bottom fb which is a side edge opposite to the flap fa of the envelope Pf set therein, and the center line of the envelope having the flap fa closed on the upper surface of the other tray 34. The flap folding line Lbe of the envelope Pf is located symmetrically to the side fence 35 with respect to Lc.
The mark 36 for positioning is provided.

The pair of trays 33 and 34 have rack portions 33a and 34a formed at positions facing each other.
However, when each of them engages with a pinion 37 provided in the middle thereof and moves one of them in the direction of arrow H, the other tray moves by the same amount as the amount of movement.
The mark 36 provided on the tray 34 may be, for example, a triangular mark as shown in FIG. 10 , or may be a carved line on the tray itself. The tray portion on the right side in the drawing may be color-coded with respect to the position where the tray is provided. In the copying machine, when forming an image such as an address on an envelope Pf having a flap fa, the user himself opens the flap fa of the envelope Pf (if the flap fa has been opened from the beginning, the flap fa remains as it is).

Next, the envelope Pf is turned in the direction shown in FIG.
Is pressed against the side fence 35, and the tray 34 is pointed so that the flap bending line Lbe is at the position of the mark 36.
Then, when the setting is completed, a copy start button (not shown) is pressed to start manual sheet feeding. By doing so, the envelope Pf is moved to the flap fa.
9 is transported through the manual paper feed path 31 shown in FIG. 9 in the opened state, and the image is transferred by the image transfer unit similarly to the copying machine described with reference to FIG. According to this embodiment, even if the flap fa is opened and set, the envelope can be set on the manual feed tray 32 without shifting the center line Lc of the envelope. And the rollers provided on the transport path do not slip on the flaps.
The generation of wrinkles and image shift can be prevented.

FIG . 11 shows an embodiment in which a flap holding member for holding an open flap is added to the embodiment of FIG. 10, and portions corresponding to FIG. 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, a flap holding member 41 is pivotally attached to the outside of the tray 34 so as to be openable and closable in the direction of arrow G, and after the envelope Pf is set on the trays 33 and 34 as in the embodiment of FIG. By setting the flap holding member 41 on the open flap fa, the flap f
a so that it does not jump. The flap holding member 41 may hold the flap fa by its own weight, or may attach a weak spring to bias the rotation. In this embodiment, the back fence 42 that regulates the rear end of the envelope Pf is also movable in the arrow J direction.
Provided.

[0024]

As described above, the power supply according to the present invention is used.
According to the child photographic apparatus, the envelope with the flap opened on the manual feed tray can be fed and positioned without shifting the center position of the envelope, so that wrinkles are prevented from occurring and transfer slippage and image shift are prevented. Can be almost eliminated, and the image can be prevented from being shifted to an incorrect position with respect to the upper envelope. In the electrophotographic apparatus,
Envelope flaps ejected to the output tray
It will be higher than the bottom of the envelope opposite the flap
If the envelope is placed at an angle, the envelope flap will be higher than the bottom of the envelope when ejection is complete, even if the envelope is ejected with the flap open. This prevents flaps from closing and being stuck in an irregular manner on the output tray.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is similar in basic configuration to an electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention.
1 is a schematic diagram showing a flap opening mechanism portion of a copying machine which is an electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram showing a copier as the electrophotographic apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an envelope usable for the copying machine.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view showing a flap opening mechanism for opening a flap of the envelope.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a mounting posture of a discharge tray in the copying machine of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view similar to FIG. 5, showing the vicinity of a discharge section of the electrophotographic apparatus in which the discharge tray is mounted in a different mounting posture.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a part of a paper discharge section of the electrophotographic apparatus in which a paper discharge tray is attached with a tray surface inclined with respect to an axis of a paper discharge roller, with a partial cross section.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the same.

FIG. 9 is an overall view showing an embodiment of an electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention .
FIG .

FIG. 10 is provided in a copying machine which is also the electrophotographic apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a manual feed tray and an envelope .

FIG. 11 shows a flap holding member for holding the opened flap .
It is a top view showing the added manual feed tray.

FIG. 12 shows the bottom of the envelope and both sides of the flap in the open state.
Seals when regulated by a pair of side fences
Explain how the center line of the cylinder and the center line of the tray are misaligned.
FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copier main body 8 Transfer charger (image transfer part) 10 Transport path 15 Transport path 16 Paper discharge tray 17 Paper feed part 20, 20A, 20B, 20C Flap opening mechanism 21 Fixing device 22 Paper discharge roller 32 Manual feed tray 33, 34 Tray 35 side fence 36 mark 60 microcomputer (flap opening mechanism selecting means) Pf envelope Lbe flap folding line fa flap fb envelope bottom

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Toshio Kaneko 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Shigeru Watanabe 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Co., Ltd. Inside Ricoh (72) Inventor Kenji Karashima 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Jun Shinozaki 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Shizuo Kawamura 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Ricoh Co., Ltd. (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65H 11/00 B65H 1/04 322

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] In an electrophotographic apparatus capable of forming an image on an envelope having a flap and discharging the envelope onto a paper discharge tray, a manual feed tray for setting the envelope at the time of paper feeding is moved in a paper feeding direction.
A pair of toes that can approach and separate from each other in the paper width direction
A seal formed of lay and set there on one of the trays
A sieve for regulating the position of the side edge of the cylinder opposite to the flap.
A fence and the flap on the top of the other tray.
With the side fence against the center line of the closed envelope
Align the flap fold line of the envelope to a nominal position
An electrophotographic apparatus characterized by providing a mark for performing the operation . 2. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
The flap of the envelope discharged to the discharge tray.
Is higher than the bottom of the envelope opposite the flap
An electrophotographic apparatus characterized by being arranged so as to be inclined as described above .