JP3369356B2 - Paper cassette - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is applied to a device provided with an image forming unit such as a facsimile machine, a copying machine, a printer, and the like, and relates to a paper feed cassette on which paper to be fed to a predetermined position of the device body is stacked. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, paper feed cassettes used in office automation equipment such as printers, copiers, facsimile machines, etc.
Generally, the area of the paper stacking unit is set according to the largest size of paper that can be used in the device.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional paper feeding cassette, when the user uses only the paper of a relatively small size, the area of the paper placing portion is too large and a wasteful space is taken. This is a problem in the current situation where space saving is required.

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily change the sheet placement area according to sheets of various sizes with a simple structure.
It is to provide a paper feed cassette that provides a space that matches the paper size.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a separating device for separating and conveying sheets one by one.
In a paper feed cassette that is equipped with a cassette body having a paper placement portion with a claw installed, and is attached to the equipment main body to convey paper to a predetermined portion of the equipment main body, the area extension of the paper placement portion in the cassette main body An auxiliary stand, a holding portion provided on the cassette body for detachably holding the auxiliary stand, and placed on the separation claw so as to face the separation claw.
An end fence to regulate the position of the rear side of the paper
Formed on the body, the cassette body and the auxiliary base
And a guide groove for guiding the movement of the end fence body .

Further, a storage section for storing an auxiliary table is provided on the side of the cassette body opposite to the sheet mounting section.

[0007]

Further, the guide grooves of the cassette body and the auxiliary base are formed in substantially the same shape and are continuous with each other.

[0009]

In the paper feed cassette according to the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the auxiliary stand is attached to the cassette body when large size sheets are used, and the auxiliary stand is removed from the cassette body when small size sheets are used. It is possible to make the paper placement space suitable for the paper size, and it is not necessary to waste the installation space as in the conventional case.

The auxiliary table can be stored on the back surface of the cassette body after it is removed from the cassette body, and there is no risk of loss.

The end fence body for regulating the position of the rear side of the sheet moves by being guided by the guide groove in the cassette main body or the auxiliary table, and the front side of the sheet becomes the proper position with respect to the separation claw.
Ru can be regulated so. Further, when the auxiliary base is attached to the cassette main body, both guide grooves are continuous, so that the end fence body can smoothly move from the cassette main body to the auxiliary base.

[0012]

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

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the outline of the entire structure of a facsimile apparatus using an embodiment of the present invention, and 1 is
A photoconductor unit that is a main body of an electrophotographic recording unit that is detachably installed in the apparatus main body 2. The photoconductor unit 1 includes a photoconductor drum 3 as a main body, a static elimination lamp 4, and a charger. 5, a developing roller 6, a transfer charger 7, a cleaning roller 8 and a cleaning blade 9 are provided, and a new toner storage tank 11 as a toner cassette having a toner supply mechanism 10 and a waste toner storage tank 12 are integrally provided. ing.

Next to the photoconductor unit 1, a laser unit 15 including a laser diode, a polygon mirror, and the like, which is driven based on image data and emits a laser beam L for exposing the photoconductor drum 3 to light, is installed. Then, the laser light L passes through the light passage hole 13 provided in the photoconductor unit 1.
The photosensitive drum 3 is irradiated with the light to form a latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3.

An internal recording paper storage cassette 16 having a pickup roller 16a is built in the lower portion of the apparatus main body 2,
Further, an optional recording paper storage cassette 17 having a half-moon shaped pickup roller 17a on the side is detachably attached, and two pressure rollers 19a and 19b are installed for one registration roller 19c. The recording paper is conveyed from the both cassettes 16 and 17 to the nip portion between the photosensitive drum 3 and the transfer charger 7. Further, a fixing device 18 for fixing the toner image on the recording paper after the transfer operation is provided above the transfer charger 5 of the photoconductor unit 1 in the apparatus main body 2. In FIG.
P indicates a conveyance path of the recording paper.

A document separating / conveying / reading section 20 is installed above the apparatus main body 2. That is, in the upper portion of the apparatus main body 2 above the photoconductor unit 1, an opening having a space through which the photoconductor unit 1 can be taken out.
A document transport unit body 25 and a document width guide unit body 26 are rotatably supported by the apparatus body 2 so that the opening 21 is formed and the opening 21 can be opened and closed.

The document width guide unit body 26 is a movable side fence (not shown) for regulating the document width.
And a pickup roller 27 of a document separating / conveying section and a conveying roller 28 of a document separating / conveying section, and the document conveying unit body 25 includes a cover body 29 and a cover body 29.
A pair of original feeding driven rollers 31, 31 installed before and after the original feeding direction of an optical original reading sensor 30 arranged at the lower left of the document, and an original pressing plate 32 placed opposite to the pickup roller 27. And a separation pad 33 of a document separation / conveyance unit provided so as to be in contact with the conveyance roller 28.

Since the operation of the electrophotographic recording section in the present embodiment having the above-mentioned structure is known, its explanation is omitted.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the recording paper storage cassette 17 from which a pickup roller 17a is removed, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of the recording paper storage cassette.
40 is a cassette body in which standing walls 41a and 41b are integrally projected on the left and right, and 42 is a pair of coils in which left and right arms 42a and 42b are rotatably supported by the left and right standing walls 41a and 41b, respectively. A bottom plate that receives the elastic force of the spring 43 and urges the placed paper toward a pickup roller (not shown), 44
Has a concavo-convex portion 44a continuously formed on the upper part thereof, and a first guide groove 45 formed in the cassette body 40 so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction is integrally formed. The guide piece 45a is guided by the first guide groove 44 and is movable according to the size of the placed sheet, and side fences 46, 47 for regulating the position of the sheet by pushing the side portion of the sheet. In order to separate and convey the stacked sheets one by one in a known manner in cooperation with a pickup roller (not shown), the separating claws are provided on the upper side of the cassette body 40 in the sheet conveying direction so as to face each other. The left separation claw 46 has the end of the connecting arm 46a provided on the side fence body 45, and the right separation claw 47 has the end of the connecting arm 47a provided on the right standing wall 41b.

The reference numeral 48 is formed on the upper surface of the cassette body 40 beside the first guide groove 44 so as to extend parallel to the sheet conveying direction, and further, a concavo-convex portion 48a is continuously formed on the upper portion. The second guide groove 49 is configured such that the integrally formed guide piece 49a is guided by the second guide groove 48, moves according to the size of the placed paper, and pushes the rear side of the paper to move the paper. An end fence body 50 for position regulation is provided with a plurality of bending protrusions 50a which are respectively inserted into a plurality of (three in this embodiment) receiving holes 51 formed on the lower side of the cassette body 40. And a third guide groove 52 having substantially the same shape as the second guide groove 48 (having a groove having the same width and forming a similar uneven portion 52a) is formed on the upper surface of the cassette body 40. It is an auxiliary stand for expanding the storage area.

The cassette body 40 below the second guide groove 48 is provided with a pair of protrusions 53, and an elastic piece 54 having a protrusion 54a on its upper surface is formed. Also,
A pair of protrusions 49b and 49c are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the guide piece 49a of the end fence body 49, respectively, and the protrusions on the upper surface are protruded.
An inclined surface 49d is formed at the end of 49b, and an elastic piece 55 having a convex portion 55a on the lower surface is formed between the protrusions 49b on the upper surface. Further, elastic lateral protrusions 56 projecting laterally are formed on the sides of the guide pieces 49a. A handle 49e is provided at the lower end of the end fence body 49.

A pair (a total of four) of hanging claws 57 are provided on the left and right sides of the second guide groove 48 in the cassette body 40, respectively, and are formed on the auxiliary base 50 so as to correspond to the hanging claws 57. The fitting hole 58 and the storage portion 60 on the rear surface of the cassette body 40 can be engaged with each other. In the third guide groove 52 of the auxiliary table 50, a protrusion 59 having a recess 59a on the lower surface and an inclined portion 59b on the tip of the upper surface is provided on the upper side, and a lateral protrusion 61 protrudes on the lower side. It is set up.

Next, a method of attaching the end fence body 49 and the auxiliary base 50 to the cassette body 40 will be described.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the end fence body 49 and the auxiliary base 50 are attached to the cassette body 40,
As shown in FIG. 4, in the auxiliary table 50, the bent protrusions 50a are inserted into the receiving holes 51 of the cassette body 40, respectively, and the concave portions 59a of the projecting portions 59 are engaged with the convex portions 54a of the second guide groove 48. Then, it is fixed to the cassette body 40. Further, the end fence body 49 is inserted into the second guide groove 48 of the cassette body 40 and is movable to the uppermost position A, but is moved to the third guide groove 52 of the auxiliary base 50. Handle
When 49e is pulled outward (downward in FIG. 1), the protrusion 55a on the lower surface of the elastic piece 55 moves over the inclined portion 59b at the tip of the protrusion 59 and moves to the third guide groove 52. And in the third guide groove 52,
The end fence body 49 is prevented from coming off by the protrusion 55a of the elastic piece 55 contacting the lateral protrusion 61.

In the state of FIG. 1, the end fence body 49 is
The positions A to D can be moved, and the sheet conveying direction can be moved until the sheet comes into contact with the rear side of the sheet depending on the size of the sheet.

Here, when using a small size paper,
First, the end fence body 49 is moved to the position A, and the auxiliary base 50 is tilted obliquely upward and pulled to easily remove the auxiliary base 50 from the cassette body 40. After removing the auxiliary base 50, the end fence body 49 can be moved from the position A to the position C as shown in FIG. And FIG.
In the second guide groove 48, as shown in FIG.
In 49, the protrusion 55a of the elastic piece 55 comes into contact with the protrusion 53 to prevent the elastic piece 55 from coming off.

In addition, the removed auxiliary stand 50 is used as the cassette body.
40. When the engaging hole 58 is mounted in the storage portion 60 on the back surface 40 so as to match the hanging claw 57, the engaging hole 58 portion engages the hanging claw 57, as shown in FIG. The auxiliary table 50 is held and stored in the storage section 60 of the.

As described above, the positions of the stacked sheets are regulated by the side fence body 45 on the side and the end fence body 49 on the rear end. Then, after the size is detected by a sensor (not shown), a predetermined sheet conveying operation is started.

[0029]

As described above, according to the construction of the first aspect of the present invention, the paper cassette of the present invention can be made to have a paper loading space suitable for the paper size by attaching and detaching the auxiliary table. This eliminates the need to waste the installation space as in the past and saves space . Moreover, on the cassette body or auxiliary table.
End fence body that regulates the position of the rear side of the paper on the surface
Is moved by the guide in the guide groove.
Restrict the front side of the paper to the proper position with respect to the release tab
It is Ru can.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the auxiliary stand can be housed on the back surface of the cassette body after being removed from the cassette body, and the auxiliary stand can be prevented from being lost.

[0031]

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the guide grooves of the both are continuous when the auxiliary base is attached to the cassette body, the end fence body is smoothly and reliably moved from the cassette main body to the auxiliary base by continuous movement. You can do it.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part in an embodiment of a paper feed cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of an embodiment of the paper feed cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of an overall configuration of a facsimile apparatus using an embodiment of a paper feed cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an attached state of a cassette body and an auxiliary base of an embodiment of a paper feed cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state in which an auxiliary base of an embodiment of the paper feeding cassette of the present invention is removed.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an attached state of a cassette body and an end fence body of an embodiment of a paper feed cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a storage state of an auxiliary stand of an embodiment of the paper feed cassette of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

40 ... Cassette body, 42 ... Bottom plate, 44 ... First guide groove,
45 ... Side fence body, 46, 47 ... Separation claw, 48 ... Second
Guide groove, 49… End fence body, 50… Auxiliary stand,
50a ... Bending projection, 51 ... Receiving hole, 52 ... Third guide groove,
54, 55 ... Elastic piece, 54a, 55a ... Recessed portion, 57 ... Hanging claw body, 58 ... Engaging hole, 59 ... Projection portion, 59a ... Convex portion, 60
… Storage section.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. Separation for separating and conveying sheets one by one
In a paper feed cassette that is equipped with a cassette body having a paper placement portion with a claw installed, and is attached to the equipment main body to convey paper to a predetermined portion of the equipment main body, the area extension of the paper placement portion in the cassette main body An auxiliary stand, a holding portion provided on the cassette body for detachably holding the auxiliary stand, and placed on the separation claw so as to face the separation claw.
An end fence to regulate the position of the rear side of the paper
Formed on the body, the cassette body and the auxiliary base
And a guide groove for guiding the movement of the end fence body . 2. The paper feed cassette according to claim 1, wherein a storage section for storing an auxiliary table is provided on the opposite side of the sheet mounting section of the cassette body. 3. The paper feed cassette according to claim 1, wherein the guide grooves of the cassette body and the auxiliary base are continuously formed in substantially the same shape.